Diverging Timelines Book 3: The Sands of Time and Space
by Space-Time-Leapers
Summary: In Book 3 of the Diverging Timelines saga, the Doctor and Sam Beckett must confront an Egyptian deity intent on changing history and ruling the Earth - for eternity. But how is this development related to one of Sam's previous leaps? Answers are found and new friends are made in an adventure that travels to ancient Egypt, the court of King Arthur, and beyond.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

A gasp escaped from the man awakening from his deep sleep. Abruptly he opened his eyes before slowly raising a shaking hand to gaze on it. He haphazardly noted that there was a slight hint of frost just above pale skin. Glancing down at his shoulder, he saw a large piece of gauze covering him from front to back, reminding him that he had been severely wounded by Krazan. Carefully pulling the bandage off, he assessed the area before looking over the length of his body. All indications of having been injured, by either Dragon tail or Dragon secretion, were gone. The Doctor exhaled audibly, thanking his Time Lord biology for the ability to put himself in the same condition as Sam currently was in with one exception: his body could heal itself given the proper time and circumstances - in this case a massive dose of anti-venom and a good doctor's attention (namely Sam's) - whereas Sam could only be put in stasis until he could receive the anti-venom and a healing compound to tend to his internal injuries. A good doctor's attention, though, was something that the Doctor planned on providing as soon as he's retrieved the correct materials.

Feeling the TARDIS' pleasure for his well-being and knowing that the time ship had brought them to their destination, the Time Lord smiled up at the ceiling and, thus, at his oldest friend. "Thanks, old girl," he replied to the images and feelings in his mind. Groaning slightly as he stood up, he used the blanket to keep himself warm and walked over to the stasis chamber, ensuring sure that it was still functioning properly. As he gazed on his patient, it occured to him that he should, for all intents and purposes, be wearing a difference face, especially with how adamantly he had ordered Sam to tend to himself.

"You let Sam tend to me first rather than save himself immediately?" he questioned, mildly disturbed that the scientist was now in far worse condition than him now.

The TARDIS hummed lightly, letting him understand that the companion in this situation was right although the human doctor didn't know the real reason why. She was saddened that he had entered stasis believing there was no hope for him but glad that his actions would save his new friend from losing a life far too soon.

The Doctor let the communication that was more feeling than words filter through him. "Of course. Sam wouldn't have survived even if he had chosen himself over me. Good call."

The ship again hummed, a feeling of accomplishment flowing from her.

The Time Lord smiled broadly at the sensation, patting the wall with affection before turning to exit the infirmary in search of a shower and a set of clothes.

Washed and now dressed in a blue pin-striped suit - he'd wanted to try this particular look but never had gotten around to it - he made his way to the console room, speaking as he did so. "Bring up the formula necessary to make more anti-venom. I'm going shopping. And keep an eye on Sam for me." Grabbing his overcoat and the recipe, he slipped it over his shoulders before leaving the time ship, making sure that the door was firmly locked behind him.

He'd stepped out into a small nook behind a couple of vendor's stalls. The moment he walked out into the market, a huge grin graced his face. "Aw, this is brilliant!" he exclaimed excitedly. He took a moment to admire the hustle and bustle and the various curios within sight before straightening himself noticeably. Tucking his hands into his trouser pockets, he started to walk, paying attention to what each vendor was selling as he passed.

A young boy of about sixteen walked up to him quite cheekily. "You look like you're not from around here. Perhaps I can help you find what you're looking for... for a price."

"Oh, really," the Doctor commented. "What price did you have in mind?"

"A gold piece will get you the best tour of the market possible. I know where all the best buys are and I know which merchants give a good deal and which are out to cheat you," the boy answered.

"And how do I know you aren't out to cheat me yourself?" the Time Lord replied, already liking this young man's entrepreneurial attitude.

"Because," the boy responded, his back stiffening at the suggestion that he'd cheat anyone, "I work for my wages when I can."

The Doctor examined him for a long moment, noting that although the boy's outfit showed significant wear and tear, there was a certain dignity in his stature as well as the upkeep of his clothes. "Indeed you do. What is your name?"

"Jarman," the boy answered with a bow. "At your service, Lord."

The Gallifreyan turned his head slightly away in protest of the action. "Please, no bows," he told him. "And I may be a Lord but I prefer to be addressed as the Doctor. Now..." he said as he dug into his coat pocket, bringing out a gold coin and holding it up. "... where is the best place to find silphium?"

Giving the man a slight double-take at the request, Jarman took the coin. "Um. Yes. Silphium. I know where the freshest and most potent is found." He turned and started to walk quickly down a side street.

The Doctor startled slightly at the kid's sudden action, watching the lithe urchin move through the crowd. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, disappointment showing on his face. It wasn't the loss of the coin that bothered him as much as seeing the boy in such need of money as to resort to theft. Or at least, that was what he thought until Jarman stopped a good fifty feet down the street.

"Are you coming? You said you wanted me to help you find your item."

The Time Lord meandered through the crowd to catch up with the boy. "You're a bit light on your feet."

"Well... sometimes it's good to be able to... maneuver, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, believe me, I know exactly what you mean," the Doctor agreed. "Had to maneuver myself out of a few tight places myself on occasion." He followed the quick boy through the streets with ease, keeping a close eye on him.

A few minutes later, they were before the shop of an old woman. Her stall was quite a bit off the beaten path but what she offered was definitely quality. "Nearla, I've brought you a customer. He is a Lord..." He saw the look that was given him and amended. "Um... Doctor."

The Doctor grinned at the boy's correction before turning to the old woman. "Hello, Nearla. Jarman here says you've got the best silphium in... where am I?" he questioned Jarman with a slight frown.

The boy looked confused. "You don't know where you are?"

"Well... umm... to be honest... no. Not exactly. Before first century Egypt, I hope."

"I don't know what those strange words mean Lo... Doctor, but I can tell you that Thebes has the best market in the area."

Nearla smiled, "You do me a great honor, Lord Doctor."

The Doctor bowed to the elderly woman. "The honor is mine." He dug into his coat pocket, pulling out the recipe he'd tucked in there and reading it. "I need silphium and lotus root. Mostly silphium. I mean, I could go anywhere for lotus root." He pointed to the boy who was still waiting by the door. "And I also want to give this boy a meal. He looks like he hasn't eaten in several days. Not a lot anyway."

She gave a sad look. "No. Jarman doesn't always have enough to eat. He's a good boy, though. Helps out where he can." She picked among her wares and chose the finest stalks of the plants requested. "There is a small shop not far from here that serves wonderful stews and bread. That's where to go to eat." She held out the silphium and lotus root. "Will these do, Lord Doctor?"

"Excellent!" came the enthusiastic response. Then, with all the care of a green grocer selecting the freshest vegetables, he chose several stalks of silphium and lotus root before waiting for Nearla to carefully wrap his purchase and paying the requested amount in gold. "Thank you very much, Nearla," he stated genuinely as he collected his purchase. "You have been a fair and honorable saleswoman. May Ra look upon you favorably."

"You do me a great honor choosing my humble shop," she answered. Then nodding towards the boy, she added, "Perhaps you could use another pair of hands. Jarman has learned many skills. He would be an asset in the house of a lord. Perhaps yours, Doctor?"

The Gallifreyan pulled on his ear at her words, an uncomfortable look on his face. "Problem is my... house... doesn't really need a hired hand." He considered Jarman for a long moment, watching his face dip from hope to disappointment. He sighed. "I can't guarantee anything but... I'll try."

The boy's visage immediately turned to joy. "You will not be disappointed, Lor... Doctor. There's nothing I can't do if I'm only allowed the time to learn," he insisted.

"Of that I am sure. What I'm not sure about is being able to find you a position. The only person I know of influence in this city died a while back."

"Well... Horus will lead us as he will," the boy answered. "Do you require any other provisions?"

The Time Lord looked at the young man, consideration on his face. While he wasn't sure what he could do to help the boy's current predicament in life other than to provide a meal, he knew that the work he had ahead of him was going to require either a lot of time with him working alone, or an extra pair of hands to get the complicated and painstaking task of making Dragon anti-venom accomplished in better time. "Well... if you are available... I might have a job for you. Temporary work, mind you. But... I could use some assistance."

"That's a better offer than I get most days. I'm willing to do almost anything..." the boy said with a smile which became serious. "But I won't hurt anyone. I draw the line at that."

"Good boy!" the Gallifreyan complimented. "Then you've got a job." He turned to Nearla and gave her a bow. "My lady Nearla, I take my leave."

"You are a kind man, Lord Doctor."

The Time Lord cringed slightly. "It's just Doctor, no Lord in front of it. Anyway..." He turned to the young Egyptian. "Lunch, Jarman?"

The boy led the way out of the small shop and down the street to where Nearla had suggested. After a decent and filling meal, the two left the eatery and walked back through the streets to the exact spot where the Doctor had first encountered the clever young man beside him.

"Now... where did I leave her? Oh, yes! This way," he instructed, retracing his steps back to the spot between the shops where the TARDIS had materialized. Pulling out a key, he started to unlock the time ship.

Jarman tilted his head looking over the blue structure. "I've never seen such a pillar in the middle of the street before." He walked around it. "Doesn't look like it would hold up much weight."

"It's not exactly a pillar," the Doctor told him as he opened the door. "It's more a... well... It's my home, actually."

"Your home?" Jarman asked. "But you're a lord, Doctor. You should have palace or at least a villa."

The Time Lord sighed slightly, knowing that there wasn't going to be any way that he could convince the young man to drop the "Lord" moniker when talking to or about him. Then again, what did he expect really, considering his social status in this particular time of Egyptian history? Instead of trying to correct the boy, he attacked the latter half of the statement. "Oi! Don't knock her! She's much more than she appears." He gestured for Jarman to follow as he walked in.

The boy moved to the door and looked inside. He immediately stepped back in surprise. A few seconds later, he moved to the door again and looked in and then repeated his actions. "You are a great magi!"

"I wouldn't say that," the Gallifreyan contradicted. "Now, Harry Houdini! He was a great magician. Unless you are using the word magi to mean a wise astronomer, in which case... Thank you!" He grinned broadly at the boy. "Now, don't dawdle. You'll draw attention to us and that is something that I would prefer not to do. Close the door behind you as you come in."

The young Egyptian, not at all sure that this wasn't some sort of trap, swallowed tightly. He thought quickly about what he knew of his benefactor. The man had been kind and he'd paid him generously. He'd even fed him. He decided that going with trust at this point might be a risk but then again, perhaps this magi would change his life for the better. With a shrug, the boy did as he was asked.

"Now then," the Doctor stated once the door was closed. "Just want to check on a couple of things before we start." He went over to the console and verified that all the systems were functioning normally before leading the way further into the TARDIS to the infirmary. As they walked into the room, he put his hand through his hair as he noticed the chaos that had been left while the two men had taken the actions necessary to save each other's lives. Drawers and cabinets had been left open, discarded medical equipment left where it had been tossed in the mad rush to provide the medical care both had needed after their fight with the Dragon.

"Blimey! This place is a mess," the Doctor stated. "Need to do something about that before I administer the antidote." He wanted to get started, though, and, after a quick check of the stasis chamber which provided evidence that Sam was still in the same condition as he had left him, he turned to put the materials on the lab bench. Mentally, he reviewed what he'd seen and was glad that the poison's progression had been stopped in its tracks during Sam's confinement in the chamber.. He considered it a good sign, considering the lethality of Dragon's poison if it was not treated quickly. "Right," he finally said, going to the silphium and lotus root that he'd purchased. "How are you at chopping?"

"Pretty good. Why?"

"I need the silphium chopped down first and then pulverized into a powder. The same with the lotus root. You can start doing that while I set up the equipment to extract the active ingredients. The Gallifreyan was pleased when Jarman immediately began his task. Once he had insured the proper setup he took to straightening the room to prepare it for the ordeal he knew would be forthcoming. Once that had been taken care of, he started the actual synthesis of the antidote, using the chopped materials along with water and a few other ingredients he pulled from a cabinet. Putting it all in a glass vessel over a Bunsen burner, he started the extraction. Before long a greenish liquid was bubbling through the glass column.

Jarman, having watched the Doctor perform the duties of an alchemist, asked, "What is this that you have made?"

The Doctor gave the young man a slight smile. "Medicine for a very sick friend. An antidote for a poison, actually." He double-checked the consistency of the mixture. "Excellent! I'll make a chemist out of you yet." He patted the boy's shoulder before walking over to the stasis chamber and running his hand over a gray-colored panel, causing the metallic door of the chamber to seemingly disappear. In reality, however, the door was still firmly in place but was now transparent, allowing the Time Lord to visually check on his current patient.

From what could be seen, the human was covered with blisters any place where the Dragon's toxin had touched. In addition, there was bluish tinte to the man's skin due to the interference with oxygen transfer in the latter stages of toxicity as well as severe bruising. The Doctor figured that once Sam was brought out of stasis he would only have a short time to stabilize his friend. He knew if he didn't Albert wouldn't be the only one not to forgive him.

The boy had followed the Doctor to where he was now peering into a window of some sort. As his eyes were drawn to that window, they opened wide. "That's a woman," he said needlessly. "Had she not done your bidding?" he asked with fear entering his voice, indicating he wondered if his new master might not be as benevolent as he had thought.

"What?" the Time Lord questioned with a frown, the boy's words barely registering while he continued to check on Sam's vitals.

"She's... well... she's... dead now. Why do you keep her?"

"Oi!" the Doctor protested the boy's statement. He realized that the boy only saw Rose. "She's not dead! She's just... resting until I can help her."

"Perhaps she doesn't want your help. Perhaps she should go to on with her journey to Anubis in this crystal sarcophagus." He decided to intercede for mercy. "And she is not breathing. Perhaps the gods have more need of her than us. Do not bring her back with your magic if all she will feel is pain."

"It's not a sarcophagus. It's... a very fancy medical couch. And she is breathing just very very slowly." The Time Lord frowned at the boy's words. "And why would she feel pain if I'm trying..." He glanced at the stasis chamber for a moment and then back at Jarman, his mind quickly going through not only the conversation but how such a sight might appear to someone of Jarman's experience. "Oh." He paused, pondering it a moment longer. "Oh! No. No no no no no. I didn't do that to her! A Dra... She..." He thought quickly of the right words to convey the truth without further confusing the boy. "She's a warrior and she was in a great battle with a demon."

"Then she is like Sekhmet, protecting her people? She doesn't look like the consort of Ptah Hotep, though."

"Consort of Ptah Hotep?"

"Surely you know that the goddess has chosen to manifest herself as our Pharaoh's chief wife."

A look of confusion crossed the Time Lord's face. Before he could answer, there was a slight beeping from the stasis chamber's controls, drawing his attention to it. "Right. One thing at a time." He turned back to Jarman. "Back to the matter at hand, Rose is not dead and you, dear Jarman, have just helped save her life."

"I?" the young man asked. "How? I just chopped and mixed as you requested."

"Ah, but that antidote I spoke about, that green gooey concoction that we chopped and mixed, is for this poor lady."

"Oh." Jarman didn't quite understand, but the idea that the sleeping warrior woman would soon be amongst the living again brought a smile to his face. He looked at the man dressed in the heavy azul costume. "Do you think she will like me? Perhaps allow me to serve her? Teach me to fight beside her?"

The Gallifreyan frowned at his words. "What do you mean serve her? I have no doubt that Rose would like you. She's pretty open to new and interesting people. But I really can't see her taking up a servant."

Jarman continued to look upon the woman. "Lady Rose. What a lovely sound to that name." He looked up at the Doctor. "I will offer my services to her in any case, if that is acceptable to you, Lord Doctor."

Under his breath, the Doctor said, "I'd forgotten how caste-focused this society was. Poor Sam hasn't a chance." To Jarman, he just smiled. "You can always try, but I really don't think she'll need much." He paused for a moment, thinking about Rose, not Sam. "On the other hand... shopping trips to London... All those bags and boxes. Could use someone to help carry them other than me."

"Thank you," the young man responded, having believed he'd obtained permission. He turned his gaze back to her. "When will she return from her journey to Anubis?"

"Just as soon as we successfully administer the antidote and make sure that it had a positive impact. Speaking of which..." The Gallifreyan moved back to his lab table and pulled the solution away from the Bunsen burner and set it down in an ice filled dish, glad that the glass from his home world could take such extreme temperatures without breaking.

"Is there anything I can do to help make the moment come sooner?" Jarman asked, eager to do something more.

The Doctor thought about the request for a moment even as he ran through his mind the upcoming trauma he knew would fill the medbay. He certainly didn't want Jarman to be witness to the effects the antidote would have on Sam. The poor boy would be frightened by the physicist's reactions. Neither could he just send him away. He did, after all, promise that he would find the young man suitable employment. He sighed, realizing that bag and box carrier in 21st century London wouldn't quite fit that bill.

Returning to the stasis chamber, he tapped in the necessary codes to deactivate the cryogenic systems and then opened the metallic door before pulling out the slab on which Sam lay. "Tell you what," he told Jarman. "You can help me carry her to the examination table." He was still trying to think of a suitable excuse to get the boy out of the infirmary, and preferably the TARDIS, until the situation was more tranquil. He looked at Sam, but saw Rose as Jarman would see her and his eyes widened. "Umm... let me just get a sheet first," he commented, realizing the aura of a naked woman would perhaps be a bit much for a boy at the age of raging hormones, even with her severe injuries. Obtaining a sheet from one of the drawers, he quickly draped it over the still cold body. "You take her feet. I'll take her shoulders."

Jarman took the feet and exclaimed, "She's chilled, like one who has faced the desert winds when the line of the gods is high in the heavens."

Understanding that Jarman was referring to the belt of Orion, the Doctor nodded. "Yes. She must be so or I will not be able to help her back to us."

The Egyptian said no more but rather helped to move the Lady Rose to the medical couch. He stood to the side, continuing to gaze upon the woman.

The Time Lord sniffed for a moment, his eyes moving from the boy to Sam and back. Knowing that now was the time to get him out of the TARDIS, he quickly came up with an errand. "Honey wine," he said abruptly.

"What?" Jarman asked, his face confused by the sudden statement.

"We need honey wine. Extremely medicinal in cases like these," he lied. Digging into one of his pockets, he quickly pulled out a gold piece and gave it to the boy. "Fetch a large bottle for us, will you? And you can keep the change, if there is any. That should be enough to pay for it."

"Honey wine. Right. I know just where to go. I'll be back soon."

The Doctor let out a breath, stopping the boy from leaving just yet. He really needed the boy to stay out of the TARDIS for a lot longer than the errand would take under normal circumstances. "No," he hummed. "It must be special honey wine. You must go to... the market close to the Great Temple. Only honey from the bees that sip from those gardens will be acceptable."

"Oh." The boy's face fell. "It will take me at least one movement of shadow along the sundial."

Understanding this meant an hour, the Doctor nodded gravely while mentally grinning like a maniac. "Yes, but it must be done. You want the lady to have the correct honey wine, right?"

"Of course. I will leave at once." He was confused as to how to get back to the correct door when he saw the outside door through the hallway. Not stopping to think why it was there now when it wasn't before, the boy ran towards the TARDIS door, wishing to be back as soon as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Thanks, old girl," the Doctor stated with appreciation. He'd watched Jarman leave, knowing the TARDIS had provided the boy with the means out. "An hour should be just about right. Hopefully," he added before going to his lab table to prepare a saline IV. He then retrieved the necessary compounds he needed to make up the medicine that would bring Sam out of his current state, which was akin to a popsicle, and bring him to a temperature that allow the antidote to work. It was a Narsartinen medicine that not only would accelerate the resuscitation but would also protect the human's cellular integrity during the transition. The Gallifreyan then prepared a syringe of the antidote that would be injected into the IV line once it was in place. Finally, he prepared a syringe with morphine mixed with a Muvaxarit internal healing compound that would repair the damage that the Dragons' toxin had already caused. If this worked... and the Doctor wasn't one hundred percent sure it would... the combination would mean the leaper would heal more quickly while getting the rest he needed. Putting all the items on a rolling cart he returned to the medical couch.

He pulled out a stethoscope from his jacket pocket. Listening to Sam's heart, he quickly ascertained that the physicist was nearly in prime condition for resuscitation from his cryogenic sleep. He checked the needle necessary for the IV on the cart before retrieving the Narsartinen compound. The needle on that syringe was significantly larger and longer than the one to be used for the IV. He pulled back the sheet that covering Sam before looking at his closed eyes. "I'm sorry but this is going to hurt." He then plunged the larger needle into the man's stomach, emptying the syringe in a single fluid movement.

Although the cells of the body were protected from permanent damage due to the nature of the Narsartinen compound he'd just injected, the pain of the transition would be significant. The Doctor understood that, as the body warmed from its initial state to a prime state when the actual administration of the antidote would take place, every nerve in Sam's body would feel like it was on fire. Within moments of the injection, the TARDIS displayed the rise in body temperature on a screen for the Time Lord to monitor. "Come on, Sam," he pleaded. Not seeing the reaction he expected, he growled in frustration as he listened again to the injured man's chest, checking both his heartbeat and pulse. "Too slow," he told himself, worry tingeing his voice. "Need to speed up his heart rate." Before he could act on his words, he heard the man on the table cry out in agony, forcing him to hold Sam down to the bed. "Sam, calm down!" he ordered. "I'll take care of you!"

"It hurts! Oh, dammit... it hurts!" the physicist screamed.

"I know," the Doctor told him, forcing his voice to stay calm. "It'll get better. I promise."

Sam looked at the Doctor, his eyes unfocused. An almost primal scream escaped his lips as he twitched uncontrollably.

Looking at his struggling patient, the Doctor realized that Sam was in no condition to understand anything he could tell him, especially as, with his vitals coming gradually to a normal level the Dragon's secretion was beginning to reassert its attack on the physicist's body. Reaching over, he grabbed the leather strap lying on one side of the bed and brought it over Sam's chest, attaching it firmly to the other side before moving down to his legs and doing the same. He checked the straps holding the man down and rechecked Sam's vitals to assure he was ready for the IV before turning to retrieve the hollow needle. "I'm going to put a needle in your arm," he warned, though he wasn't sure that Sam could understand him under the circumstances. Despite his patient being strapped to the couch, the Doctor found himself struggling to hold Sam's arm in place long enough to insert the needle. Finally getting a strong grip, he found a vein and plunged it into him. "Just hang on, Sam!" he encouraged, attaching the IV tubing to the needle and turning the valve to allow neutral saline solution to flow into the man.

Picking up the other syringe that held the antidote, he gave a final check to assure that all was ready for the injection into the IV line. He put the needle of that syringe into the input port. He knew for humans, this was the tricky part. Too fast and it could kill his patient. Too slow and the toxin would kill him before the antidote had a chance to work. Using this method, the Doctor was certain that Sam would survive. Well... mostly certain. Unfortunately for humans, the antidote for Dragon's toxin was more painful than the toxin itself and, if he were honest with himself, he knew things could go drastically wrong. "You'll be fine," he stated to reassure himself as much as the human. He started to push the plunger of the syringe.

With the slow injection of the antidote into the IV line, Sam's struggles became even more intense. His agonized visage and strangled moans made it clear the level of pain he was in. "Too much! The pain!" Sam screamed, the leather straps cutting into him as he arched his back at the pain. Suddenly, his face turned a putrid shade of green.

Having cared for his share of humans in his lives, the Time Lord could easily see the signs of when one was on the verge of vomiting. He knew he couldn't do anything but watch for problems as he continued to inject the antidote. He watched as the sickened man expelled what was coming up from his stomach. He was relieved to see that Sam's reflex action caused his head to turn slightly to the side and thus there wasn't the added danger of choking. However, he was dismayed to see a copious amount of blood expelled, followed by another scream of pain. The blood told him the toxin had already done significant internal damage.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he murmured, his own thoughts running wild as he finished delivering the medicine. There was little else he could do now but tend to Sam's immediate needs, like a gentle cleaning. At least, until he knew the antidote had worked. That was the rub, though. He couldn't be sure for some time and it was possible it had all been for naught. Still it was his friend's only chance. The antidote would have to stop the toxin's continuing damage or it would be impossible for the next medicine to work. Muvaxarit medicine couldn't be injected until the antidote had finished neutralizing the toxin and was no longer active. One way or the other, though, he knew the man couldn't withstand the agony for much longer. He just hoped he'd get the timing right.

He occupied as much time as he could bringing as much comfort as possible to his patient as the man endured his hell. He'd spent several agonizingly long minutes cleaning up the mess around him and had replaced the blanket covering Sam with a clean one. He was in the process of retrieving another cool rag - he'd already went through one - when he heard the man crying out.

"Al!" Sam yelled. He could see a form before him but his vision was unclear. Still, he knew his partner and friend was the only person he knew he could count on to be with him. Had for a number of years. "Where are you, Al?" he pleaded plaintively. "Please make it stop! Just make it stop!"

Hearing the leaper's cry for comfort from his best friend, the Gallifreyan's hearts tightened slightly. He couldn't let Sam suffer any further, regardless of the risks. He prayed that it wasn't too soon to provide the morphine/Muvaxarit mixture. If it was, he could be hurting him worse or possibly kill him. Still, all of his experience told him this was the right time to provide the final treatment. "Just one more thing, Sam, and you'll be all right," the Doctor assured at last before injecting the sedative into his IV. "Just something to help you sleep. You'll be fine when you wake." Placing the spent syringe on the cart, he brushed the leaper's sweat-soaked hair with the rag and shushed him gently.

As the sedative quickly acted on the human's brain, effectively disconnecting the nervous system from the feeling of pain, the lines of torment in Sam's face lessened. Finally, the man drifted towards sleep with a mumbled, "Knew you'd find some way to help, Al."

Allowing Sam his delusion, the Doctor quickly but gently checked Sam's heartbeat before giving him a soft smile. "Much better," he said with relief. Seeing that Sam was finally slumbering, he gratefully removed the straps that held the physicist, knowing that they wouldn't be needed anymore. Then, after reassuring himself that the IV was still firmly in place, he changed the almost empty saline with a fresh one. Finding a chair, he finally settled in to watch over his patient, knowing that Jarman would soon return with the honey wine he'd sent him to procure. He determined that the boy had been gone approximately an hour and twenty minutes when the sound of knocking became evident. The Doctor walked through the TARDIS and opened the door, forcing a smile at the sight of his new temporary charge. "You got the wine. Good lad," he complimented.

"Yes. I asked them for the finest they had." He looked down. "It took all of the gold."

"All of it? Really?" the Doctor questioned with a frown. "Blimey, talk about inflation! Didn't cost that much the last time I was here." He dug into his pocket and found another piece and handed it to him. "There you are. Save it for a rainy day."

Jarman's eyes grew wide. "Another gold coin, just for me?"

"Consider it payment for future services rendered," the Time Lord added. "Or better yet, an investment. Save enough gold and some day you'll own your own villa somewhere."

"Thank you, Lord Doctor!" the Egyptian boy said reverently.

The Time Lord grimaced at the words. "I really wish you wouldn't call me that." After what he had just gone through - or rather what Sam had gone through and what he had been forced to inflict - he didn't feel like putting up with the social norms of the time.

The boy, feeling that something was wrong but not sure what, looked down. "I'm sorry. It's just that it's really, really hard not to show you the respect you deserve." Before the man could answer, he added, "And if I don't show my respect for you, then I'm sure my heart will not weigh lighter than Maat's feather."

"There are many ways to show respect, Jarman," the Time Lord informed him with tiredness in his voice. "And you can show me respect by continuing to be the person you obviously are, namely honest, loyal, and willing to do the right thing."

"But..." Jarman started.

The Doctor shushed him again quickly, annoyance. "Doctor. Jarman. Jarman. Doctor," he told him bluntly pointing to the appropriate person as he spoke. "Got it? Good. That's settled." He moved on even though the young man clearly didn't agree.

"You are a strange master, Doctor."

"What?!" the Time Lord exclaimed. "No no no no no no no. I am _not_ your master! You don't have a master. You should _never_ have a master. No one should have a master!" Seeing the stunned look on the boy's face, he amended. "But that doesn't mean that I don't like you. I think you're brilliant!"

Jarman's face fell. "You don't want me to serve you? I thought... back at the market... well..." The look on his face was pure sadness.

The Doctor groaned slightly. "I've gone and done it, haven't I," he grumbled berating himself. Turning to look into the young man's eyes, he gently took his shoulders. "I didn't mean that I don't want you to help me out. I enjoy your company and you're a fine young man. What I mean is... you should never think of yourself as being any lesser than any man, no matter what lineage they have, no matter how wealthy they are. Don't knock yourself down. Mind you, you shouldn't go and do something stupid like tell Pharaoh to go suck eggs..."

"But Pharaoh isn't a man. He's a god," Jarman said, knowingly. He sighed again. "I don't understand exactly what you're saying but I will try to learn from you." He looked past the Doctor. "Have you brought Lady Rose back to life?"

"She never really was dead but..." the Doctor started. Seeing that the boy still couldn't grasp the concept, he shook his head. "She's better now. She's resting."

Jarman held up the honey wine again. "Do you think she will need this when she wakes?"

"That will be a few days from now and I'm sure she'll enjoy it... but right now, I'm the one who needs it," the Doctor commented, taking the wine from Jarman. He opened the bottle immediately. "Care to join me?" he suggested as he started towards the inner door.

"A few days? But you said..." the young Egyptian started, but then stopped and his shoulders drooping slightly. "As you wish."

The Gallifreyan found himself, once again, regretting his words to him, knowing that the young man was more than a little confused by them. Turning around, he looked sympathetically into his eyes. "All right. I admit it. I sent you on a fool's errand. But I had good reason to. Waking Rose... well, it was very traumatic and certainly would have upset you to no end. Believe me, it was extremely upsetting for me and definitely to Rose. I wanted to get you out of the TARDIS until the process was done and... well... I like honey wine."

The boy, seeing the honesty in the eyes of the man that he still thought of as his master - no matter what was said - nodded. "I guess you were just looking out for me. I don't think anyone's ever done that before."

"Now that's not true. What about Nearla? She looked after you just as much as you looked after her, right? Because that's what friends do. They look after each other."

"That's true...I just meant I never had a mast... er... lor... er... Doctor do that before."

"You're going to choke on that word, aren't you?"

"I'm trying not to," the boy said seriously.

The Time Lord sighed. There had to be a way to make this boy lighten up and stop him from thinking in the terms of master/servant. Glancing at the bottle in his hand, he wondered what would go well with honey wine. "OH! I know!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Ice cream! Have you ever had ice cream? Probably not, considering the time and place we are. Very popular in Italy, though I'm not sure that it will be for several more centuries. Oh, you'll love it!" With that he swept the boy into the kitchen to experience the sheer joy of the frozen concoction, along with the honey wine, knowing that Jarman wouldn't know what hit him.

DWQLTWDWQLTW

During the time that the two had the ice cream, the Doctor continued to check on his patient via a monitor in the kitchen. He had taken only a small glass of the honey wine and had only half finished it when the monitoring equipment showed the other man to be in distress. Putting the glass down immediately, he told Jarman, "Stay here and finish your ice cream. I'll be right back." Then, without further word, he exited the kitchen, leaving Jarman to his devices and the rest of the half quart of ice cream.

Walking into the infirmary, he went directly to Sam, looking at his vitals quickly to ascertain the problem at hand. Realizing that the leaper's internal healing had stalled, he also determined that was the cause of his immediate difficulties, with included an increase in the amount of pain he was feeling. Indeed, the man's consciousness was attempting to reach the surface at this point and that wouldn't be good for him. Keeping Sam in an unconscious state would allow the medicine to do its job more effectively. Retrieving the morphine/Muvaxarit mixture he had used before, he carefully introduced a measured amount into the IV and then waited to see if there would be a positive result from the action. "Much better," he said with relief as he saw the man calm considerably. He looked on the physicist and, seeing that the man was still slightly uncomfortable, he ran his hand along Sam's forehead while humming an old Gallifreyan lullaby, providing a gentle mental suggestion for him to rest.

Semi-conscious, Sam now focused on the soft numbness seeping through his body again. His eyes fluttered open but his vision was still severely compromised. Feeling a gentle hand brushing his hair back as well as experiencing a feeling he hadn't known since he was a child, his muddled mind erroneously identified the provider of the comforting act. "Mom?" It didn't exactly feel like her hand but, in the grip of the sedative, it made sense to him she would be there.

The edges of the Doctor's mouth pulled upwards slightly at the question. "Not your mum, I'm afraid. But I believe I have a fairly good bedside manner." Not getting a reaction to his gentle teasing, he continued the brushing he'd been engaged in, seeing that it gave Sam some comfort. "Go to sleep, Sam. You're safe," he instructed gently as he pulled his hand away.

Almost immediately, Sam became more agitated in spite of the additional medicine. He looked up at his comforter, still without recognition, and begged, "Don't leave me. Please! The monster will come back!" His hand flailed and grasped onto the Doctor's arm.

The Time Lord looked on his friend for a moment, seeing genuine fear in his features. He may not have recognized the expression per se but he knew that he'd worn it several times himself in the past, when nightmares of the Time War assaulted him. At those times, he was grateful for Rose's company. But what company did Sam have except him under the circumstances? "I'm not leaving," he assured, taking Sam's hand from his arm with great tenderness. He slipped his own hand into Sam's and held it firmly. "I'm right here."

"Promise you won't leave?"

The Gallifreyan hesitated for only a moment, dismissing any notions of all the things he could be doing other than sitting in the infirmary, holding Sam's hand. "I promise. I'm staying right here until you wake up."

It took a few moments for the fear to melt away as Sam's features softened but he obviously trusted the words and knew he wouldn't be left alone. "Okay..." he murmured, leaning slightly into the soft touch offered and, before long, he was asleep.

Assured that his friend was once again in the arms of Morpheus, he exhaled slowly, realizing that, thanks to Sam's pulling the promise from him, that he was willingly obliged to follow through on his word. Carefully extracting his hand from Sam's - he didn't want Sam to somehow wake from the knowledge that there was a bare spot there suddenly - he noticed that the saline needed changing again, which he did efficiently. Then looking around the infirmary, he located a chair that would suffice for his vigil and brought it next to the couch. Then situating himself in the chair, he continued to keep an eye on him as he slumbered, hoping there would be no more nightmares but almost expecting they would come.

The Doctor wasn't entirely sure how long he'd been with Sam when he heard the door open.

"Lord Doctor? You've been gone for so long. Has she...is she...?"

"Hmm?" the Time Lord hummed, not quite understanding what Jarman had said. Turning his head, he noted the distress on the boy's face. "Oh. She's fine. Had a nightmare, needed some more medicine."

"Then you are not here mourning her," the boy concluded. "That's good. I was afraid when you didn't come back that something terrible had happened and she had died from her battle wounds."

The Doctor returned his eyes to his sleeping charge. "No. She'll recover just fine. It's just going to take some time."

"Do you need for me to do anything?"

"Not really. But it's late. You should get some sleep."

"As should you. Perhaps I should stay and you can rest. You said that attending to the Lady Rose had been difficult for you before."

The Time Lord gave him an appreciative smile. "Thanks but I'll be fine." He made his next words a request to the ship while still addressing the young man. "There's a spare bedroom down the hall, across from the kitchen. Go get some sleep."

Jarman was quiet a moment before nodding. "As you wish, Doctor." Hesitantly, he turned and left in search of the bedroom.

Pleased to see that Jarman hadn't put up too much of a fight against his wishes, the Doctor returned his attention to his patient. Since he was assured that Sam was doing well for the moment, he allowed himself the luxury of seeing only the surface image around the leaper, the aura of Rose. While he knew that it was only an image of her, until he was needed for Sam's well-being, he could pretend that it was his pink and yellow human in the room, sleeping quietly.

DWQLTWDWQLTW

A gentle but consistent buzzing sound along with a slight jostle caused the Doctor's eyes to open. Blinking away the sleep there - he hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep - he looked around, slightly disoriented.

"Doctor? Doctor? You need to awaken. I've brought you honey cakes and juice."

"What?" came the slightly slurred response.

"Honey cakes and juice. I figured since you like honey wine you would like the honey cakes. If they're not to your liking, I can return to the market for something else."

"Oh. Right," the Doctor said, realizing that Jarman was referring to a form of breakfast. "Not hungry but thanks. You have it."

"No. You haven't eaten anything since you had the ice cream yesterday. You need to eat." The boy looked down. "And... I'm sorry but... I've left a mess in the room you call kitchen. The ice cream turned into cream. I couldn't get it to stay in the container."

"Yeah, it'll do that when it gets warm." He frowned slightly. "Why didn't you put it back in the freezer when you were done?"

"What is a freezer?"

"It's... it's the left side of the silver cabinet."

"I would never assume to get into places in your palace that I have not been given permission to go."

The Doctor hummed slightly, still groggy but clear headed enough to understand his reasoning. "You have my permission to use anything in the kitchen as needed, as long as it isn't for homicidal purposes," he added with dry humor. "In fact, if you ask for something, the proper cabinet will open."

"You are a great magi," Jarman stated. "And you do not need to worry. I see no reason to kill anyone," he stated with total seriousness.

The Time Lord looked on the boy for a long moment. "I was kidding."

"The cabinets won't open?"

"Not that. About using kitchen tools to impersonate Hannibal Lector."

"Who is Hannibal Lector? Is he another magi?"

He shook his head in self-derision. He really shouldn't bring up cultural references out of the proper time. "Never mind."

The boy sighed slightly. It appeared he would never be smart enough to understand his strange master. He instead took the tray and again offered it. "Honey cakes?"

"Jarman..." the Time Lord protested. Seeing the disappointment on the boy's features, he exhaled loudly. "Fine. If you are going to force this on me, then I need a cuppa," he said, standing up and heading for the lab table.

"A... cup... pa? I do not know what acuppa is or where to find it."

"Well, typically it's in the kitchen but I have the means to make one here." Pulling out a Bunsen burner, he also retrieved a glass container and started to boil water. Again digging around the table, he procured a couple of teabags. "Glad I kept it away from the hydrochloric acid. That wouldn't have been good," he commented to himself as he brought out a mug and put one teabag in it.

Jarman watched closely. "You have the proper items in the kitchen for this, yes?"

"For a cuppa? Absolutely."

"Then I will bring you acuppa with your morning meal in the future."

Glancing at him, he raised an eyebrow. "I can make my own cup of tea, thank you very much."

"You can make tea when you wish, but I will bring you acuppa."

The Doctor blinked for a moment, staring at Jarman as he tried to process the boy's logic. "They're the same thing, Jarman. A cuppa - two words, not one - is short for a cup of tea."

Jarman thought about the clarification. "I will still bring you tea with your morning meal. That way you will not have to worry about the hydrochloric acid."

The frustrated alien pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb. "I'm not worried about..." He let out a breath as he realized the futility of trying to influencing the boy into behaving more to his liking and less like the way the boy was raised to behave around his betters, which he didn't see himself as being. "Fine. Whatever you want. Bring me tea in the morning. With two lumps and milk." The water had reached its boiling point and the Doctor carefully took it off the flame and poured it over the teabag.

"Lumps?"

"Two small cubes of sugar," the Time Lord explained.

"Sugar?"

He froze, looking at the boy with a blank stare. "You don't know what sugar is?" Before the boy could respond, he shook his head in self-derogation. "Of course not. Processed sugars don't come about for a couple of millennia." He paused and took down a small box from the shelf. Opening it, he pulled out a lump of sugar. "This is one lump of sugar. It's a sweetener. You put two of these in one cup." He took another lump out and put the two beside his cup, which was nearly done steeping. He then went to his lab refrigerator and pulled out a small container which was sitting beside a row of lab perishables. "This is milk. It's located on the right side of the refrigerator... that silver cabinet in the kitchen. You put a small amount into the tea. And then once everything is set, you stir gently." He hoped that showing the makings of tea would reveal to the boy how intricate tea making was and would thus dissuade him from attempting the act. He put the milk beside his mug as well and, removing the teabag, finished making his tea and carried the mug back to his chair, leaving all the remnants of his task out on the counter.

Jarman had watched the Doctor's actions carefully. He knew that the next day he would be able to do as his master had. Now he turned back to the counter. Picking up the container of milk, he returned it to its proper place.

"What are you doing?" the Gallifreyan questioned, noting his actions.

"I don't want it to make a mess like the ice cream," the boy explained.

"It won't. It'll just go eventually." Seeing the frown, he clarified, "I mean, sour. It will go sour. Besides, I can clean up after myself, thank you."

The boy pursed his lips slightly as if to hold back some words that would not be wise to say.

As the Doctor sat down again, a moan came from the bed. "Mom? I don't feel good, Mom."

Putting his mug down on the cart, which still stood beside the couch, the Doctor reached over and took Sam's hand. "It's okay," he assured. Checking his vitals, he mentally noted that Sam needed another dose of medicine. As he prepared the solution once more, he calculated that the frequency of the need was approximately every six hours. He was already estimating the next time Sam would require a "refill" as he slowly administered the drug and then replaced the saline bag. Finally sitting down, he lifted his tea to his lips and took a sip before grimacing. "Oi, that's disgusting!" he bemoaned, noting that the tea had gone cold while he tended to the leaper.

"This will be much better," Jarman said, coming to his side and offering another mug.

The Doctor looked at the mug in the boy's hands with appraisal. "You made me a cup of tea."

"Yes, Lord Doctor. Since you made your first to be hot and it was no longer, I thought you might want another hot one."

Slowly taking the mug with a "thank you", the Gallifreyan looked past the Egyptian to see the lab table was immaculate. "And you cleaned the table."

"Yes, Lord. You were busy with more important tasks. The Lady Rose was not well."

He sighed. "Thank you but that wasn't necessary. And please, stop calling me 'Lord'."

"Yes, Doctor," the Egyptian boy responded. However, even not being said aloud the intention was clear. He retrieved the tray that still held the honey cakes and again offered it. "You need to eat."

Already knowing that, no matter how much he protested, Jarman wasn't going to give up on his intention of serving him in one way or another, the Doctor slowly took a cake.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Over the next couple of days, the Doctor's ministrations brought Sam closer to health. The leaper still looked ill to some extent but the injuries, both internal and external, were healing and he was no longer having nightmares. Jarman continued to wait on the Doctor to the annoyance of the Gallifreyan but, under the circumstances and considering that he had promised not to leave the physicist's side, he had to admit it made the task more comfortable. He figured he'd set Jarman right after Sam was back on his feet.

Over the course of the wait, the Doctor, noting that seeing Rose's aura in a state that was extremely distracting for the Gallifreyan and most definitely chilly for the leaper, had dressed Sam in Rose's pink and purple fuzzy pajamas, the largest and most comfortable of her sleepwear. He'd also made sure that the leaper was given a sponge bath on a daily basis, not only because humans required such hygiene more regularly but also because he knew that the leaper would feel better for it when he awoke. It was been three days and the Time Lord found he was exhausted. Between everything that had happened the past week and a half, who could blame him? Seeing Sam sleeping, he allowed himself the indulgence of catching a few z's.

Not long afterwards, Sam's eyes opened, noting almost immediately that he was in the infirmary, the last place he clearly recalled. However, in his memory, the Doctor had been on the medical couch and he was... he was... He grasped at the memory that was just out of reach. All he had was a feeling that Al had been upset. Looking around now, he saw the Doctor snoozing in a chair beside him. He moved with a groan to his side... feeling like he'd swung into a brick wall or something... and started to call to him. He noted that his throat was dry and the call came out as more of a croak. "Doctor?"

The Gallifreyan sniffed slightly as he heard the voice filter through his vague dreams, bringing him out of his slumber. Blinking for a moment to readjust his eyes to the light in the room, he looked over to the medical couch and saw Sam on his side, gazing questioningly at him. He grinned gently at the sight. "Hello, there. How are you feeling?"

"Strange," the croaking continued. "Can I have some water?"

"Of course," he stated as he stood up with a stretch. "Jarman!" he called out as he took a step toward the couch, ready to check on his patient.

A moment later a boy, who Sam estimated to be in his mid-teens and wearing what looked to him to be a costume made to look like something worn in ancient Egypt, walked into the room.

"What can I do for you, Lord?"

Sam blinked and looked at the Doctor, even more confused that before. He wasn't sure he heard correctly. "Lord?"

The Time Lord made his prerequisite sigh - when will the boy just stop with the "Lord"? - before requesting, "Bring a one of those plastic pitchers... you know, the large sippy cup ones... with some cool water, not ice water, in it."

"Yes, Lord. Right away." Before turning to leave, he said to Sam, "It's good to see you awake, Lady Rose." He then quickly left before the leaper could respond.

"Lady Rose? Lord? What the hell's happened?" Sam croaked. "How long have I been out? And who's that kid?"

"Yes. Yes. It's a long story. Counting the stasis chamber, seven days. Jarman, a local who's decided that butlering his calling in life."

Sam took in a breath. His forehead creased. "What?"

The Doctor opened his mouth to respond when Jarman returned to the infirmary with the requested water in a plastic pitcher with the words "Property of U.N.I.T." printed on it. He handed it to the Doctor who, in turn, gave it to Sam.

Sam took it gratefully, immediately quenching his thirst. When he'd had enough, he looked to the Gallifreyan. "U.N.I.T? I remember being in that organization during a leap but I can't remember what I did. All I know is they were military... right?"

"Sort of. Certainly run by the military, at any rate, but not associated with the British Royal Army otherwise," the Doctor answered. "Better," he commented as he examined Sam, scanning him with the sonic screwdriver despite the presence of appropriate medical equipment present. "Much better. Gave me a scare there for a little while."

"All I know is that I feel like a four hundred pound Dragon hit me. Oh wait... that happened," Sam responded sarcastically.

"Yes, it did." The Doctor gave him a wry grin at his comment, tucking his sonic away. "Told you to stay back. You wouldn't have looked like a survivor of gladiatorial combat if you had."

"Survivor?" Sam's eyes focused at a point beyond his sight. "I survived," he said quietly. "How?"

"The TARDIS. When she made you give me the entire antidote, she was insuring your survival. There had only been enough for one person and you'd already received enough poison in your system to cause near irreparable damage to your internal organs. You were touch and go for a while there."

"Yeah. I didn't think I'd make it. I remember Al was beside himself. Does he know I'm okay?"

The Time Lord hesitated. "I don't think so. Sorry. I was a bit irate with him the last time I saw him. But if he hadn't been such a pain, I might not have even realized you were in danger. The TARDIS had lowered the temperature in the room but it wasn't nearly as effective as making sure you were in stasis, which is what I had to do before finishing healing myself so that I could treat you properly. And it may be a while before he does find you. I don't think we are located in a timeframe easily accessible to him."

"Oh." He began to do an inventory as to how he felt. Obviously the Doctor had been providing medications. His face felt tight and as he touched it he found a slick gel there. "Moisturizer?"

"Blisters are very damaging to one's skin. Need to reverse the rest of the damage with ultra hydration."

"With as must stuff as you have on me, I must have looked like hell."

"But, you're beautiful now, Lady Rose!" Jarman exclaimed suddenly, having seen the transformation from blisters to beautiful skin over the last few days. "The blisters were terrible at first... but now...you're gorgeous!" His eyes gazed on the aura of Rose. It was obvious that he was enamored by what he saw.

"What?" Sam exclaimed, looking over at the boy. He recognized the look on the young man's face as a sort of puppy love. "Oh, boy..." he murmured before turning to the Doctor. "Who is this again?" he said with a slight annoyance in his voice. He'd just been through hell and back and the last thing he wanted to deal with was an unknown pubescent male who obviously was attracted to him, or rather his aura.

"Lady Rose, Jarman. Jarman, Lady Rose," the Doctor introduced. Noting the dark expression on Sam's face, he winced slightly, deciding that this was an issue best handled without an audience. "Umm... Jarman, my boy, why don't you go into the kitchen and pour a couple of goblets of honey wine? And... take your time."

"But..." Jarman started, ready to argue the idea. Seeing that the Doctor meant what he was saying, he sighed deeply. "All right. Honey wine. Of course." As he headed out of the room, he mumbled just loud enough for the Doctor to hear. "Ra's Orb!" he said obviously as an expletive. "Fool's errands, leave the room. I've been taking care of him for three days and, now that the Lady's awake, you'd think I was a small child or something."

The Doctor's eyes widened at the mutter he heard from the young man but waited until he had left before speaking. "Well... there's something different. He's normally so..."

"Normally? Different?" Sam started, cutting the Doctor off in mid-sentence. As he started to speak, he put his hand to his head. "Have you got any aspirin? My head feels like it's about to split open." Pausing for a second, he then asked, "Who's the boy and why is he here?"

The Time Lord stared at the physicist for a long moment, a little taken back by how upset the latter obviously was, especially with his asking for something that wasn't in the TARDIS' medicine cabinet. "Yes. Yes. No, and you know that. Jarman and he helped me make the antidote necessary to save your life."

"What?" Sam questioned again, confusion deepening on his face. Wincing at the pain, he complained, "You know? All the stories about dragons and not a thing about that blue gooey stuff. What the hell is that anyways?" He suddenly looked up. "Antidote? There wasn't any more. The TARDIS told me to use it all on you."

"Yes, she did," the Doctor confirmed somberly. "You saved my life." He paused slightly. "Thank you."

Sam nodded tightly, not wanting to move his aching head anymore than he needed to. "You're welcome." The memories of the recent past, at least to Sam, began to filter in. "Al! Where's Al?"

"Oh, he's probably back at your project complaining about me. He does that a lot, from what I can tell. Don't know why. I'm a likeable person when you get to know me." He grinned broadly at Sam as if confirming his last statement. The grin faded when Sam didn't return it.

"There's a problem with that. From Al's point of view, we just saved the Earth from destruction by an alien lizard king. Hokie doesn't even touch this. Bizarre doesn't come close. I didn't leap after we defeated the Dragon which means there's more to why I'm here. He complains about you because he's scared of what could happen while I'm around you."

"Well..." the Doctor rubbed his sideburn for a moment. "He has a point. For some reason trouble always seems to follow me. It's not like I go looking for it. Well... not deliberately. Well... maybe sometimes. But it's not like I want to be attacked by a dangerous psychopathic Dragon out to create a universal empire."

Sam listened as the Doctor responded, seemingly changing his answer every two seconds and not necessarily for the better. "Yeah. That." He put his hand to his head again. "Damn! My head hurts. Hell, my entire body hurts." He paused again. "Why? Why do I hurt so badly? I mean other than the fact that we just had a swordfight with a ten foot Dragon."

"Eight foot," the Time Lord corrected, tucking his hands into his pockets. "As for the hurting... I'm sorry but it was necessary. When the TARDIS told you to give me all of the antidote, I knew there was none for you. I had to improvise the moment I was aware enough to function, which, believe me, was only just. I put you into stasis... only way to halt the progression of the toxin... until I could finish healing myself in order to synthesize more antidote. Of course, that meant I actually had to procure the necessary ingredients. Which is why Jarman is here in the TARDIS. He helped me find what I needed and to prepare the antidote for you. And... well... rapid heating after being a human popsicle isn't exactly the most pleasant sensation. Neither is the antidote, for that matter." He went to the lab table.

""What are you doing?" Sam asked.

"I've been giving you a healing compound while you were sleeping. I mixed it with morphine to help with the pain but I think that's a bit strong at the moment," he answered. "On a scale from 1 to 10, how much pain are you currently in?"

"About a six point three. I just don't feel right inside...and I ache all over."

"Not surprising. It took you three days just to heal to the point you are now. You had extensive internal injuries and quite a few blisters and bruises as well. I'm thinking paracetamol wouldn't be enough." He searched the cabinets in front of him.

"How about demerol?" Sam questioned, using his medical training to consider an alternative and feeling the pain, though moderate, acutely.

The Doctor ignored his suggestion, pulling down a bottle. "Ah! Codeine! Just what the Doctor called for."

"Not this doctor," the human physicist complained, realizing that the Time Lord wasn't listening to him.

"Demerol can be too strong in your fragile state and I would much prefer to be able to gradually reduce your intake as needed."

"Fine. Whatever. Codeine will work."

"Of course it will," the Doctor told him, tossing the bottle over his shoulder towards Sam, his attention returning to the table in front of him.

The leaper caught the bottle noting the dosage per pill. He shook out two tablets and retrieved the water pitcher, taking a sip and swallowing them quickly.

As Sam attended to his immediate needs, the Doctor prepared a dose of pure Muvaxarit compound before returning to his patient. "Give me your arm," he instructed.

"Why? I've already taken the codeine."

"It's the healing compound I've been giving you in your sleep. You still need at least two more doses to make sure that you're completely healed."

He put out his arm, willing to accept anything that would help the healing process. Once the medicine was administered and the codeine started working, his mind turned to the facts he'd heard over the past fifteen minutes. "Seven days? Stasis? Like suspended animation or something?"

"Sort of."

"And this kid helped you with the antidote, huh? I guess I should be grateful."

"Well... yeah, that would be the most reasonable reaction." He shrugged. "Jarman's a good boy. A bit overenthusiastic, mind you. But, without his help, it could've been more difficult. Besides, I think he's taken with the Lady Rose."

"Yeah. Lady..." Sam asked confused again. "Why... Lady?"

The Doctor reached over and grabbed a handheld mirror before handing it over to him. "You look like a female human to most people. Get used to it," he told him condescendingly.

Looking at the Doctor with narrowed eyes, Sam pushed the mirror away. "I know that. I've done this before, you know. I just meant why the title?"

"Well, Rose was entitled by Queen Victoria herself so technically she is a Lady... No... Wait a second. She's a Dame, not a Lady. Still, Jarman thinks you're upper class in this society."

"This society..." Sam started, recalling the boys outfit. "Are we in a theatre or on a movie set? Looks like Jarman is dressed to play in 'The Ten Commandments' or something."

"'The Ten Commandments'! Lovely film! Chuck Heston, Yul Brenner, Edward G. Robinson..." He noted the second glare he received from Sam in less than a minute. "No, we are not in a theatre and Rose didn't take on a role. We materialized in ancient Egypt."

Sam's eyes grew wide and he looked just like a kid in a candy store. "You're kidding! Ancient Egypt? Really? We're really in ancient Egypt?" Giddy didn't even begin to describe his sudden change of demeanor. A few seconds later, though, his eyes changed to look suspiciously at the Doctor. "What do you take me for? If this... Jarman is from ancient Egypt, he wouldn't be speaking perfect English, now, would he?"

"He isn't," the Gallifreyan told him. "He was speaking ancient Egyptian."

"No... he wasn't," Sam said in a slow voice. "He's speaking English. He called me beautiful."

"Well, you are beautiful. Well... Rose is. I'm sure Captain Jack would say a thing or two about you as well but that's beside the point." He smiled knowingly. "TARDIS telepathic circuits. Gets inside your head, translates every known language in the universe." He gave him a look. "You were on Rextar Seven. Did you honestly think that everyone was speaking English? On an alien world thousands of light years from Earth? Mind you there were some people speaking English but that waitress certainly wasn't."

Sam's forehead creased. "I didn't know what to think at that point, to be honest. I was just hoping leaping hadn't finally caused me to go insane."

The Gallifreyan paused at his words. "Got a point there. Anyway... yes, we are in ancient Egypt and, yes, he is speaking the proper language."

"So, if Jarman is speaking in his native dialect... does that mean you've been speaking in yours? I mean, I've just assumed you're speaking English but... you're alien... so..." He trailed off, leaving the implication hanging.

"I've been speaking English with you and ancient Egyptian with Jarman."

Sam switched his own language, asking in ancient Egyptian, "So what language am I speaking?"

The Time Lord gave him a smirk before shaking his head at the leaper's need to constantly have proof. He responded back in the same language. "Your syntax isn't bad but your accent is atrocious."

Sam blinked. "You are. You know ancient Egyptian? How many languages do you speak?" he asked not hearing the snub.

"How many are there?"

The linguist opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times. "I have no idea," he finally voiced.

The alien gave him a grin. "Neither do I, actually. But I know them all." Sam looked askance. "I do. Well, there was that one but it was long dead and incredibly old... impossibly old." He realized that Jarman hadn't yet returned. "Where is that boy?" he questioned aloud. Almost as soon as he voiced his query, the young man walked into the room, carrying two goblets. "There you are!"

"Ra's Orb!" the boy complained. "Must your magic palace make me lost all the time?"

"Happened to me all the time until she decided she likes me."

The boy blinked in confusion. "As you wish, my Lady," the boy said uncommitted. "Here's your honey wine, Lord" he said giving one of the goblets to his new master. He then turned to Sam. "I have honey wine for you as well, Lady Rose."

Now that Sam understood how the TARDIS translation circuit worked, he could hear the boy speaking the language of the time period. "Wow! Say that again. The accent's different than I thought it would be."

Jarman opened his mouth to do as he was told when the Doctor interrupted. "That's because you wouldn't know a decent Kemetian accent if it was assaulting your ears at high volume."

Yet another glare was shot the Doctor's way. "You try learning it four thousand years after it was last spoken on Earth."

The boy frowned at the exchange. "Please, my Lord and Lady, do not argue. It is unseemly."

"You haven't lived with him for long," Sam groused.

"Four days!" Jarman countered. "I am well aware of Lord Doctor's... idiosyncrasies."

"Oi! I don't have idiosyncrasies!"

"Like hell you don't," the leaper confirmed. He finally noticed what he was wearing. "Kitty pajamas? How did I get these on?"

"I put them on you. You needed clothing."

"But kitty pajamas? Sheesh. Katy would have like them but I'd have preferred a t-shirt and sweat pants or something."

"They're Rose's favorite and they're big and very comfortable. Besides, you were unconscious. It didn't really matter what you preferred. I was more concerned about your physical state, not your ego." Garnering yet another glare, he grinned at Sam. "However, you're obviously feeling much better and extremely masculine. Why don't you go pick out something more suitable for your tastes from Rose's room?"

Jarman looked at the Doctor. "You need something done with your eyes, Lord Doctor. She's not masculine at all."

Sam had stood up when Jarman interjected. "That's another thing. What's with this Lord this and Lord that? Taking on airs all of the sudden? I don't recall you wanting to be called anything but Doctor before coming here."

"I tried to talk him out of it but he won't stop!" the Gallifreyan protested. "I figured that it just wasn't worth the fight when he started to make my tea."

Capturing the inside of his bottom lip with his teeth, Sam shook his head. "Now it comes out." When the Doctor again tried to protest, he put his hand up. "Listen. Your house. Do what you want," he stated before walking out.

The Time Lord deflated as the leaper left, thinking that things couldn't possibly get any worse concerning Jarman's attitude.

"I will go tend to Lady Rose's needs since she doesn't have a maid to assist her," Jarman informed the Doctor with a bow before following Sam quickly.

The Doctor sighed. He was wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As the team at Project Quantum Leap figured out a way to allow Ziggy to connect with Sam Beckett in the past or future... and possibly off planet... Jack had attempted to call the phone he'd identified as their best Space-Time GPS. Unfortunately being in the middle of New Mexico, the cell phone coverage was spotty at best and for whatever reasons, Rose's phone number wouldn't connect with the landlines at the project, perhaps because they didn't connect with a satellite network.

Once the plan was in place, Gooshie got to work developing the algorithms to achieve the goal. It took him two days to develop a program to track the cell phone that had the capability of what Captain Harkness called 'universal roaming.' It was one of the most challenging programming projects he'd ever faced, in certain areas rivaling that of assisting Dr. Beckett with Ziggy. Ziggy had at first been reluctant to assist him, stating that since Dr. Beckett had only programmed her for tracking him in his lifetime, this was clearly outside of her parameters. Al had spent much of the same two days sweet talking the computer, using his strange combination of praise and insults. Jack had alternated between watching, assisting, or animatedly questioning the speed of the progress, frustrated that it was so blatantly difficult to simply call Rose's cell phone, especially since the connection with her mother had always been basically instantaneous. When the breakthrough actually occurred, Jack was leaning back on one of the desks with his arms folded. He was beginning to wonder if they'd actually be able to connect to the cell phone in his lifetime, which by definition would be an excessively long time, when the first parallel-hybrid computer in human history spoke up.

"Admiral. I am still not at all sure that this new programming will not interfere with what Dr. Beckett designed. I do not believe he would want me chasing after electromagnetic signatures throughout the timeline," Ziggy continued to protest.

Al rolled his eyes, believing that he'd gotten her to accept the concept. "Give it up, you bucket of bolts. Gooshie would never do anything to hurt your programming. Tell her, Gooshie."

"Yes, Ziggy. The Admiral's right. This addition won't hurt you a bit and we do need to find Sam."

"And he isn't in his own lifetime," Jack added. "I can promise you that. Unless you count reincarnations but that's just speculation. Are you sure I just can't go into town and call him? I mean, really, I can't believe this whole frickin' project is a deadzone! If I'd known that, I would have just gone to Socorro, dialed the number, and said, 'Hey, Sam. Where and when are you?'"

Ziggy's cool tones answered, "You do recall that one of our Marines, Sgt. Mullins, turned out to be carrying a highly contagious form of strep throat. The entire project is now under quarantine and no one is allowed to leave. I've pointed that out since you tried to do that two days ago."

"But for a whole week?! You mean we still have to stay in the complex for another four days? I still say quarantining the whole complex is a bit of an overkill."

"That may be, but we're still under quarantine," the computer answered stubbornly.

With a deep sigh of frustration, Jack responded. "Fine.. If I can't take the most logical solution to this problem, can you at least tell me why you're not willing to help us find Dr. Beckett?"

Finally, with the question posed, Ziggy explained her dilemma, "Since the Doctor is undeniably an alien, then this 'universal roaming' is alien technology. How do I know that it will not somehow change me?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Ziggy?"

"I've just recently added the new digitally remastered original Star Trek DVDs into my databanks. In scanning them, one of the episodes showed an alien probe and a terrestrial one merge. The terrestrial probe would have turned on its creator. I would not want to do that to Dr. Beckett."

"Oh, for crying out loud, Ziggy! You're not NOMAD!" Al exclaimed. "That's just fiction! It's a reach, even for you."

"How can universal roaming cause you to turn against Dr. Beckett?" Jack countered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Al looked at Jack, thinking it rather interesting that they'd had basically the same outburst. "Now you know what I've been dealing with since Sam leapt."

"Be glad she isn't the TARDIS, landing you in random places," Jack told him with a grin.

"Yeah. That would be annoying."

"I would imagine this TARDIS you speak of would likely have the same misgivings," Ziggy said, her pride obviously bruised.

"About universal roaming? Not in the least," Jack assured. "She trusts the Doctor, as you should trust the Admiral."

Gooshie sighed. "Ziggy, the Admiral and Dr. Beckett built you. Neither of them would do anything to hurt you. I've worked on you under Dr. Beckett's express orders since I first joined the project. I wouldn't hurt you either. You need to trust us."

Ziggy's light dimmed for a moment and then came back on brighter. "I will allow you to make the changes, Dr. Gushman."

Al looked up. "Finally!"

Jack walked over to Al and leaned slightly towards him. "I think Ziggy's got the TARDIS beat when it comes to being stubborn."

"Yeah, well, that's the Barbra Streisand in her."

"Barbra Streisand? Well, I can honestly say the TARDIS' personality is completely her own."

Ziggy, in the midst of being programmed, decided to make a comment. "My personality _is _my own, Captain. Doctor Beckett just chose Ms. Streisand as a base core."

"Ah, but the TARDIS didn't have to have a base core programmed into her," Jack countered, enjoying the banter.

Ziggy's light dimmed significantly. Al knew this was the equivalent of her narrowing her eyes. "I do not know how this TARDIS came to be but I know for certain my creator cares greatly for me."

Jack grinned widely. "I never said otherwise, old girl. Now, _when _will you allow me to make a simple phone call?" he demanded with irritation. "And is there _any _way to get some reception in here?"

"We've been promised that for the last four years, Captain," Gooshie put in. "From what I understand, the PI network is almost a reality. That should provide worldwide reception. They've almost finished launching the satellites. However, we'll be ready to make your call in about an hour." He decided that under the circumstances and the man's obvious impatience, he could give a slightly better estimation. "Maybe less."

"Yeah... the Pi network. I'm not too sure I completely trust that outfit but if it can bring reception to the middle of the New Mexico desert, I'll be glad for that. Try to make it less," Jack grumbled as he turned to leave. With all that had happened in the last forty two hours, with the deadzone, the quarantine, and Ziggy's attitude problem, he'd just about reached the end of his rope. Not that it would have killed him if he did. "Give me and the Admiral a ring when it's ready." He started walking out the door. "Come on, Al. Let's get a cuppa. I want to murder _something_."

DWQLTWDWQLTW

"You've been trying to reach them for three days, Jack. I don't think this is working." Al had been standing over Jack's desk, knowing that the last few days had been trying on the entire staff but especially on the project's head.

"It's got to work!" Jack insisted, his cell phone pressed to his ear. "It's ringing on the other side. I keep leaving voice messages and it's definitely Rose's phone. I'd recognize her voice anywhere." He sighed in frustration. "Why aren't they answering?"

"Maybe Sam lost it," Al suggested. "It could be anywhere and not even close to the TARDIS."

Jack's back straightened noticeably. "What? Does he do things like that? Losing people's things? That's Rose's phone. You'd think he'd be more careful with the possessions of the people he leaps into!"

Al realized that his words had been poorly chosen based on the reaction they elicited from Jack. He figured it was because he was tired. Neither of the men had had more than a few hours sleep a night since the battle with the beastie had been won. "No, no, no," he said. "That's not what I mean. Sam's always very careful with the leapee's possessions. He figures he's just borrowing their life and he wants them to come back without too much stress. What I mean is, he might not have known he had it on him and it could have fallen out of a pocket or something."

Jack sighed, shutting off his phone and glaring at it as if it were to blame for the last week of anxiety he'd been enduring. "It's just like the Doctor to go somewhere and somewhen and not have a cell phone on him," he grumbled.

Seeing Jack seemingly losing heart, Al let out a sigh. "Try it again. It can't hurt. Who knows? It might work this time."

Biting his lip, Jack glanced over towards Al. Then, taking a breath, he redialed Rose's number. The phone rang a couple of times before he heard a familiar voice answering with a tentative "Hello?"

"Doctor! Thank God!"

Al jumped up. "You've got him!" His face broke into a fully fledged grin.

For a short second, Jack and Al looked like a pair of Cheshire cats. Suddenly the ex-Time Agent's face dropped. "Dammit!" he cried out.

"What?" Al asked confused by the quick and unexpected change.

Jack's anger was practically tangible. "I don't believe this! He hung up on me!"

DWQLTWDWQLTW

Sam looked behind him, seeing Jarman there, just as he had been during the entire walk through the TARDIS. "Go away. I don't want you following me. Don't you get that? I'm just going to get something more... reasonable than kitty pajamas!"

"But you do not have a maid to assist you, Lady Rose..." the boy started.

Sam stopped in mid-stride and turned quickly on the boy. "I've been dressing myself for over forty years. I don't need a maid to help me put on pants and a shirt."

"Are you a magi as well?" Jarman asked with awe. "An equal to Lord Doctor?"

"What?"

"You do not appear to have lived for as long as you say. Only magis can suspend the span of their lives in such a manner."

That brought Sam up short. He'd been able to be himself so much while with the Doctor, for a moment he forgot he still needed to act as Rose Tyler. "Oh. Right. I meant twenty years. I was just exaggerating." Sam started to move away from the boy again.

"Oh," came the slightly disappointed response. A moment later, however, the admiration was back as the boy ran to catch up. "Still, you are a great warrior. One of your standing must be tended to. Dressing in fine clothing requires the utmost attention to detail, which I can provide."

"Would you stop leading me around in circles?" Sam cried up to the ceiling. "You think this is funny, don't you?" He could almost hear the time ship chuckling at him.

Jarman frowned at his words. "No, my Lady! I am most urgent."

"Go away!" He paused for a moment. "Great warrior? What's the Doctor been feeding you?"

"Oh, all sorts of wonderful things! There's this cold food he calls ice cream. And the most succulent meal he calls a hamburger..."

Sam blinked, trying to figure out the response. Realizing what he'd said, he clarified, "No. No. Not feeding you food. Feeding you lines." When he saw the boy getting ready to ask what he meant, he glared at him. "Just go away or I'll... I'll... I'll smite you with my Vorpal sword!"

The young man cowered at the threat. "As you wish, my Lady," he responded timidly before turning to leave.

The leaper, realizing he'd won, started to stride down the hall again but not before calling back, "And stop calling me Lady!"

Jarman, the moment that his mistress was no longer in the area, straightened himself, both abundantly frightened of the woman and angry that she continued to spurn his service. Marching back to the infirmary, he groused, "Ra's Orb! I don't understand either of you! Lady Rose is so beautiful but she's so terrifying!"

The Doctor blinked at the boy's words. "Terrifying? Rose? Nah, she's a sweetie."

"You didn't just get threatened with a Vorpal sword... whatever that means. I mean... I know what a sword is... but... the way she said it a Vorpal sword must be a terrible thing." He paused. "I wonder what makes it Vorpal... and what is Vorpal anyway?"

"What?!" the Time Lord exclaimed, stunned. "But that's... that's... horrible! I'd never threaten someone with a Vorpal sword! Well, not unless they were a dangerous Dragon."

"I'm not dangerous. I just wanted to please her. Is that so wrong?"

The Gallifreyan shook his head. "No, it isn't wrong. Well, it is but that's no reason to go threatening to stab and electrocute a teenage boy."

"What's electrocute?"

He gave the Egyptian a considering glance. "You don't want to know."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After leaving Jarman behind, Sam calmed down considerably. "I know. You're right," he said to the TARDIS. "I was pretty harsh with him. I'll apologize when I see him again." Almost as if the TARDIS had accepted the leaper's contriteness, he found he was standing outside of Rose's door again. "Thank you."

Going into the room, he went to the closet and found a comfortable T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Taking those hangers out of the closet, he moved to the dresser and picked the most utilitarian undergarments he could find as well as some socks. A few minutes later, he was dressed and had found a pair of running shoes. Sitting on the bed, he put them on and tied them while muttering, "Knowing the Doctor, these'll probably be put to use soon."

Getting up he noticed a denim jacket hanging on the back of the chair. Feeling somewhat chilled, he picked it up and put it on before heading back to find the other inhabitants of the ship. This time the TARDIS allowed him to efficiently move through her and he found the Doctor and Jarman in the console room. "I feel like a new ma...woman."

The boy was seated on the jumpseat, looking forelorn and had a rubber duck - the same that Sam had left on the console beforehand - between his hands, squeezing it occasionally to expel the air from it and thus making it squeak.

"You threatened to skewer him with a Vorpal sword," the Doctor stated darkly the moment Sam made his presence known.

"Um. Yeah. About that..."

"You threatened him with a Vorpal sword!"

"I know. I was the one that said it," Sam said with annoyance.

"You know what a Vorpal sword does! How would you like if I threatened to tear your heart out and eat it?"

Jarman's head shot up at his words. "Oh, please, Lord Doctor! Don't! It's... it's okay. Lady Rose can threaten me with anything she wants. Please, don't eat her heart!"

Sam blinked. "Is he for real?"

The Time Lord groaned. "He thinks I'm a wizard."

"Right. I can see how _that_ confusion could arise." Sam then moved to Jarman. "I'm sorry, Jarman. I shouldn't have threatened you like that. The Doctor's right. It wasn't very... ladylike of me. Forgive me?"

"I suppose being a warrior does make one forget one's manners occasionally. You have no need to apologize, though, my Lady."

"Yes, I do. But Jarman? Do me a favor. Just call me Rose, yeah? I mean... that's my name. And the Lady... well... for a warrior, it's just not... right."

The boy sighed. "I don't understand why you will not allow me to show you the respect you deserve. However, a warrior should be shown respect according to their wishes."

"But... I'm a warrior too," the Doctor protested, hope on his face for a solution to his own plight one his face. Gaining a disbelieving look from the boy, he sighed, realizing that Jarman's determination concerning his 'title' was unwavering.

Sam, figuring that the situation was settled, rubbed his hands together. "So... are we going to go out and see this place? I dreamt about it as a kid but I never thought it would actually happen!" As he finished, he heard a ringing noise coming from his pocket.

"What's that sound?" Jarman questioned with a frown. "It's extremely annoying."

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Sam pulled out a silver cell phone. "Who couldbe calling?" he asked, confused.

The Doctor exhaled slightly. "That would be Jackie..." he started before remembering that Rose's mother was now in a parallel universe and the likelihood of her being able to call across the Void was nil. "Hold on. Can't be her." He reached out and grabbed the phone, looking at the caller ID with curiosity before opening it just after the fourth ring.

"Hello?" he asked tentatively.

Sam could hear the voice of the caller even though he didn't have the receiver next to his ear. The Doctor, who was listening, pulled the phone away from his ear quickly, his hearing obviously disturbed by the loudness. "Doctor! Thank God!"

"Jack?" the Time Lord questioned with a frown, uncertain about the identity of the caller. A moment later, the phone's battery died. "The phone's dead. How rubbish is that?" he questioned with irritation.

"Jack?" Sam queried. "The man who Al said is now funding Project Quantum Leap? That Jack?" He paused for a moment, seeing the Doctor's questioning gaze at the phone. "If we really are in ancient Egypt, how could he be calling?" The leaper was wondering if he'd been the butt of a fabulously enacted practical joke.

Jarman had sat back in the jumpseat watching the conversation bounce back and forth, totally confused. Since Rose had awaken, he was learning this was a normal event between the Lord and the warrior.

"Sonicked Rose's mobile. She has universal roaming. Can call and receive from anytime and anyplace."

"Really? Universal roaming?" He walked to the door of the TARDIS and opened it, staring out to confirm their location before closing it quickly. "Okay. You've got universal roaming but you haven't solved battery problems?"

The Gallifreyan shrugged slightly. "Human technology. There's only so much you can do with it."

"Then why didn't you convert it to a different technology. I mean, that would be possible, right?"

The Doctor gave him a glare. "That would be like mixing vodka with orange juice."

"What's wrong with that? Makes a screwdriver. And if you add Galliano, you get a Harvey Wallbanger."

The Time Lord blinked for a moment. "Oh. Right. Wondered about that. Well... I never had the need to upgrade the technology itself. Rose always kept her phone charged."

"So, you're saying the dead battery's my fault?" Sam questioned.

"Well, you did leap into her." He examined the phone again. "Still... I suppose I could upgrade the battery. I might be able to adjust it so that it self-charges." He retrieved his sonic from his pocket and, opening the battery compartment, aimed the device at the small power unit. A moment later, he closed the compartment and, tucking his sonic away, tossed the phone up in the air before catching it. "There we go! Should be charge fairly quickly."

"Then we can hit redial?"

"Well, not redial. Redial dials the last number dialed, not the last number received. But we can investigate and find out what number called Rose's phone and call them back."

"That's what I meant," Sam said. "I just didn't say it right."

"And you talk about me forgetting to upgrade a primitive piece of alien technology," the Doctor grumbled.

"Whatever," Sam said with annoyance at the Gallifreyan's ploy of turning a simple miscommunication into something else. "So, was that Harkness or not?"

"Yes, it was Harkness. Now quiet while I figure out how to use this thing... Go to 'missed calls' and... fifty-six missed calls!? Blimey, they must have been trying to call for days! No wonder the battery went dead." With a mischievous, knowing smile, he hit a few buttons on the phone. "Select the number that called, select call number and... Voila!"

"So we can call them now?"

"Well... not yet. It's still charging," the Time Lord told him.

"How long will it take to fully charge?"

"Well... the battery was severely drained due to someone forgetting to charge it..."

"Hey! I didn't even _know_ Rose had a cell phone... much less one that could work at any place and time in the universe. Besides, I've been unconscious most of the last week," Sam replied with some heat at being accused of the causing the issue.

The Doctor just gave him a long stare before stating plainly, "About an hour."

"Okay... if we have to wait for an hour to try again, think we can go outside? One of the reasons I became an archeologist was my interest in this time period, which based on Jarman's clothes I'd figure to be... around the 18th dynasty," he said giving the boy's outfit a critical eye.

Jarman tucked his head in slight embarrassment. "My Lady..."

"Uh... uh... uh... uh," Sam admonished when he used the title. "You promised."

"Sorry... Rose. However, I don't believe that I am worthy of such attentions from..." It was clear that the boy was flattered by the way his face flushed.

"What? What attentions?" Suddenly Sam understood. "No... I wasn't looking at you. I was checking out your clothing." When he saw Jarman's face fall he quickly added, "Not that you're bad looking for a teenager... but I'm... not..." He paused and shook his head. "I'm just making this worse."

"Join the club," the Gallifreyan chimed in. "At least he isn't calling you Lord."

"Why would I do that?" Jarman asked, clearly thinking that Rose should never be called a Lord.

"Yes... why?" Sam agreed to the question, wanting simply to know the reason why the Doctor was suddenly being called a Lord.

The Time Lord took a deep breath. "Jarman..."

"Yes, Lord?"

Seeing the anticipation to serve on the boy's face - and knowing that he would only be sending him on yet another fool's errand which would result in the boy's favorite expletive - the Doctor hesitated. "Oh, look! There's the door!" he stated, suddenly overly happy as he bounded for the exit.

Sam shook his head at the Gallifreyan's change in behavior as he followed the Doctor out. The moment his eyes laid sight on the alley, he gasped slightly. "Wow! There's hieroglyphic graffiti!" he exclaimed before going over to the wall and looking at it closer. "I wonder what 'bad anubis' means? Anubis was the god of the underworld but he wasn't considered bad... although I guess if you were judged not to be lighter than Maat's feather, that might be considered bad..."

The Doctor exhaled in slight frustration, not really hearing what Sam was saying. "You're missing the point of visiting the past, Sam. You can read hieroglyphics in your own time. You probably have already read these sometime in the future. Come on. There's a lovely market this way. Jarman here knows it inside and out," he said, starting towards the right.

Sam turned away from the written message at first reluctantly but when he heard where they were going, he changed his attitude. "Oh! Cool! I'd love to see what a market's like! Do you think we can take a tour of the city? I really would like to..." At that moment there was the sound of trumpets from the main street, in the opposite direction they had started. "I wonder what that's all about?"

Jarman blinked at the news that Rose didn't know what a market was like and had been about to comment on it when his lady asked about the trumpets. "Those are the palace heralds. There must be a procession! We must go and worship the royal family. If we are blessed, we may even get a brief glimpse of Pharaoh and his queen."

"Really? Pharaoh? Alive? Oh, this I've got to see!" Sam turned around and started toward the main street in the opposite direction in a run. "Come on! There's a break in the crowd."

"Like a child in a confectioner's shop." the Doctor commented, though there was a matching smile on his face as he pursued the leaper, Jarman right behind him. They only barely slowed enough to prevent themselves from getting in the way of the parade of pageantry passing them.

Reaching the street, Jarman immediately bowed down, showing reverence to his king and queen.

Sam, though, continued to stand, looking upon the group coming down the street. A group of guards carrying swords and spears surrounded two chair litters. The chairs were carried by what he knew from his studies to be Nubians. However it was the people in the chairs that grabbed and held his attention enthrall. The Pharaoh, glorious in his raiment, was wearing the double crown of the kingdom and carrying the gold and Lapis Lazuli crook and flail that were the marks of his rank. Beside him in the other chair was a woman with a lioness' head. "Sekhmet. Amazing. If I didn't know that was a mask I'd say it was actually a lion-headed goddess," Sam commented. His head then tilted. "What's she doing with the Heart?"

The Gallifreyan watched the precession, his own fascination with the culture before him. Upon hearing Sam's comment, however, his attention was to the royal litter approaching them. His eyes grew instantly dark at the sight and, instantly, he grabbed Sam's arm, pulling him down with him to match the locals in prostration. Before Sam could protest, he growled, "Stay down. Eyes to the ground."

Sam, hearing the imperative in his friend's voice, obeyed instantly, his eyes moving towards the ground only to notice the reason for the break in the crowd at this point. Both he and the Doctor were kneeling inside a fairly large mud puddle... although based on the smell, he wasn't one hundred percent sure it was only mud. "Eeeww," he couldn't help but express.

"Shh," the Doctor warned briefly and quietly. He waited until the litter had passed before slowly raising his head, not moving from his lowered position, to watch the procession continue. When he was certain that they hadn't been noticed by the royal family, he stood, a somber look on his face. "This isn't good. They're supposed to be extinct."

"Who?" Sam questioned as he stood up as well, realizing that he was going to have to change. He hoped that the TARDIS would be able to clean the outfit... especially the jacket... since it was obviously one that Rose wore considering that's where she'd put her phone.

"The Osirians," the Time Lord responded.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"The Osirians?" Sam questioned. "Are they some sort of religious group I don't know about? Were their records destroyed? I know that happened if the Amun-Ra priesthood didn't want you to have an afterlife."

"I wish they were just a religious group," the Doctor told him as he led Sam and Jarman back to the TARDIS. "They were a race with technologies similar to my people. They could travel through time and space with Lodestones, though not exactly a safe way to do that. A good people, for the most part, who went extinct from overuse of their limited time travel technology, quite a feat when you can live thousands of years. Problem is that they had a few bad apples in their group. One was Sutekh the Destroyer. He believed that all life in the universe should be destroyed except a few of his chosen followers. He was imprisoned on Earth by his brother Horus and 740 other Osirians. Unfortunately, when he tried to escape, I was forced to kill him. No other choice. I had thought he was the last of his kind at the time. I obviously was wrong."

"Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me the Egyptian pantheon was real? That there really was a Horus, a Sutekh, an Osiris, an Isis..." He trailed off, knowing if he kept on naming them it would take all day. "That's... just not possible... is it?"

"Why not?" the Doctor questioned, stopping in front of the TARDIS to turn and look at Sam. "If an alien race came down to Earth warring with each other in a final battle and, once the battle was done, proceeded to help your civilization become a massive empire, what would you think of them?"

"Invaders?" Sam offered. "Okay, okay. This was early in our history. Sure, I guess that kind of technology seen by the ancient Egyptians could be interpreted as magical and the people themselves as gods. Fine." He grumped. "Sure makes a laughing stock of my degree, much less my thesis."

"Why? Because you studied Egyptian mythologies? The mythologies haven't changed just because they were loosely based on real characters. There are no Osirians currently in this time... except for one." He paused. "At least I hope there's only one." He turned and pulled out his key, unlocking the TARDIS before entering, Sam and Jarman following.

"So, what do we do now?"

"I need to get to the palace. If that really is an Osirian and not some really really impossibly amazing mask, I need to find out why she is here and what her intentions are and how it relates to the Pharaoh. Who is Pharaoh, anyway?"

"Our Pharoah is Ptah-Hotep. The second of that name," Jarman supplied. He looked concerned. "I've been listening to the two of you talk. You do not venerate the gods? Aren't you afraid they will strike you dead?"

"Given that one of your gods is an Osirian, that is more of a possibility as of late but that doesn't mean I'm going to cower," the Gallifreyan responded.

Sam's jaw dropped as he heard the name of the current king. For a moment he couldn't speak but then exclaimed, "Ptah-Hotep? The Second? You're kidding!"

The Doctor looked at him with wide eyes, starting to think that the human scientist was extremely fond of that particular phrase. "I doubt that Jarman is capable of that particular action," he said, remembering how serious the boy usually was.

"No... what I mean is..." He went back to the original thought. "I _know _about this time."

"Really?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. I studied Ptah-Hotep the Second extensively. Wrote my thesis on him." He thought for a moment more. "Sort of discovered his tomb in 1957."

"I'm assuming that this was on one of your leaps, since I seriously doubt that you were digging in Egypt at the age of four," the Gallifreyan time traveler commented with a wry grin.

"Yeah. It was in a leap." He thought about where they were and added, "Then, I was just doing a dig. Now I get to live what happened. How cool is that!"

Jarman blinked. "If you wish to be cool, Rose, the clothing you are wearing now is unsuitable, especially since you and Lord Doctor are soiled."

Sam looked between the Doctor and himself. "Yeah. Considering what we were kneeling in, we smell like a camel died on us."

The Gallifreyan nodded. "Yes, change of clothes is definitely in order. We'll need to go to the wardrobe."

"Wardrobe? Why? Shouldn't I just get more clothes from Rose's room?"

"If you want to look like a barbarian slave, sure. Wear a t-shirt and jeans. However, if we are going to get into the Pharaoh's court, we need to look like nobility," the Doctor told him as he walked through the TARDIS, Sam and Jarman trailing him.

"So, period dress?" The leaper didn't look very happy. "You do know noble women wore sheer linen?"

The Time Lord blinked at his words. "And the men went topless. What's your point?"

'Um... well... considering my aura..."

There was a pause of silence between them. "Oh. Well... I'm sure that you can come up with something cool but still suitable."

Once inside the room, the Doctor immediately guided Sam to the racks to locate appropriate attire for them, pointing out the women's period clothing the leaper. The physicist took several long pleated dresses of the period.

As the two time travelers started to change their clothing, Jarman started to follow Sam to the dressing area. "What?" he asked again.

"You'll need help..."

"Like hell I will. I'll manage." He walked off grousing, "No matter what time period, women's clothing is a bitch."

When Jarman attempted to lend aide to the Doctor, he received similar but far more courteous a response. Returning to Sam again, he noted the way his Lady was dressing.

Jarman's face dropped. "Lady Rose. You will be too hot dressed like that."

Sam looked a bit confused. "Like what?"

"Well, you must have at least three robes on."

"That's because you can see through them all. You need three to reach opaque."

"But..."

"Trust me, I'll be more comfortable this way." Having addressed the boy's concern, he returned to the Doctor. "If we're going as nobility, don't we need jewelry? We can buy some in the market."

"No need," the Doctor told him. He pointed to a chest of drawers on the other side of the room. "Third drawer down and towards the back. They're gifts from Cleo so don't damage them!"

Sam opened the drawer and frankly stared. "These are gorgeous! Museum quality!" Suddenly realizing exactly what the Doctor said, he turned. "Cleo... as in Cleopatra?"

Jarman looked at the two. "Who's Cleopatra?"

"Last Pharaoh of Egypt, consort to Julius Caesar and Marc Antony," the Doctor confirmed. "Lovely lady. Tragic death, though."

"Yeah. Asps aren't my favorite snakes, that's for sure." Sam chose a lapus lazuli and carnellian collar. "Which of these do you want?"

The Time Lord shrugged slightly. "Just pick one out for me. I trust your judgment," he told him as he regarded himself in the mirror. "Wore a tunic the last time I was in Egypt. Of course, it was the fashion at the time."

Jarman was staring at at the jewelry that he saw Rose was pulling from the drawer. "This just proves it. Only a lord and lady would have such treasures!"

"No. Just someone that likes to collect things," Sam answered as he compared the different options. "Well... based on what my studies showed, in addition to the tomb paintings, I think we'll be more likely to get into the palace with these collars and armbands." He picked out another one. "Jarman? Do you like this one?"

Jarman's eyes opened wide. "Me? You want me to wear that?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. If we're wearing these and you're with us, I think you should too."

The young man started to reach out his hand and then pulled it back suddenly. "No. I'd better not. I wouldn't want something happening to it."

Sam tried to talk the boy into taking it but couldn't convince him.

The Doctor tried as well but then shrugged when he had no more success than Sam. "If he doesn't want to, I think we should honour that." He then accepted the collar and armband Sam provided for him and carefully put them in place. "Ready?" he asked the time traveler.

"Yeah." He looked down at what he was wearing as opposed to the Doctor's and Jarman's. "I have to admit, your clothing looks a lot more comfortable." He breathed out a breath of frustration. "Women seem to always have the more complicated fashions."

"Well, if it's any consolation, linen is supposed to be very cooling," the Doctor told him. "Just one more thing..." Going over to the same chest of drawers that Sam had gotten the jewelry from, he pulled out a small cotton bag and tucked the TARDIS key, his sonic screwdriver, his dark-rimmed glasses and a handful of gold coins from his blue suit into the bag before expertly tying the sack to his beltline. "There! Now, we are ready." He grinned with pride. "Rose made me this little sack. Love the little sack."

"It's nice," Sam commented. "Sort of reminds me of Al's old manbag only smaller. He said it was great to use when pockets weren't available."

"Now there's something I haven't heard or seen of for several centuries. Manbags." The Doctor grimaced. "Ugliest fashion to ever hit the Seventies. Knew someone who used them every time he went out. Said he didn't want to spoil his figure. Not that he had one. Anyway... Allons-y!"

"Hold on, Doctor. Don't you think the battery is charged by now?"

"Battery?"

"Yeah, the universal roaming cell phone?"

"Right," the Time Lord conceded, searching around him for the phone which he knew he had left in his suit. Locating it, he pulled up the previous incoming call and pressed send. The phone started ringing again before the Doctor suddenly shut it off. "What am I going to say to him?" he questioned, an odd look on his face.

DWQLTWDWQLTW

Al had just gotten Jack calmed down when his phone rang.

The former Time Agent looked down at the incoming number and smiled broadly. "It's Rose's phone!" He answered, "Doctor!" but there wasn't anyone on the other end. "What?! What kind of game is he playing?!" He spoke to the bright orb. "Can you get a lock on that phone, Ziggy?"

"I already have, Captain Harkness. I'm currently configuring the observation chamber to broadcast over 3500 years, give or take a few decades. It's not exactly making a call to the next town."

"3500 years!" Al exclaimed. "When the hell are they?"

Ziggy answered coolly. "If my calculations are correct, I believe they're in 18th dynasty Egypt."

Al smiled. "Sam will like that." At Jack's look of confusion, he explained, "One of Sam's doctorates is archeology. His special area of expertise is 18th dynasty Egypt."

"Right," Jack answered but immediately started to pace. "Well, he might like it, but I don't!" he commented, gruffly. "Just find them, will you, Ziggy? I want to know what the hell's going on."

"You don't need to shout, Captain," Ziggy responded, a note of hurt in her artificial voice. "I am quite literally taking my father's project vastly outside of its planned parameters. It takes time to establish such a link. Even for me."

Jack sighed, forcing himself to keep his anger towards the Doctor at bay. Over the past few years, he and Ziggy had developed a relationship and he knew the anger that had flowed out had pricked at her sense of self. "I know, Ziggy. I'm sorry. How long until you have a definite lock?"

"Apology accepted, Captain," the computer purred. "However, the timeframe, at the moment is vast, making it difficult to pinpoint Dr. Beckett's mesons. I estimate that I will be able to connect with Dr. Beckett within the next hour. As I understand humans say, 'Just keep your pants on.'"

A lecherous grin flowed across Jack's face. He looked up at the orb, his eyes sparkling. "You're just waiting for us to be alone, aren't you, darling?"

Al had been leaning against the console, watching the conversation between the computer and Jack. At the omnisexual's statement, he shook his head. "Jack, when you start going after arrogant computers, I think you've gone too far. Even for you."

His mood now greatly improved, Jack grinned over at Al. "Yeah, but you gotta admit. It would be the experience of a lifetime." He took a breath. "Okay. We'll wait an hour. And then if he doesn't answer I'm going to personally go back in time and kick his butt."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sam looked at the Doctor. "Okay, I'm confused. Why did you hang up? Why would talking to Jack be a problem? I thought you were friends."

The Doctor sniffed slightly. "It's a bit complicated. We sort of... got separated a long time ago."

"Okay. So you haven't seen him in awhile. I still don't see..."

"Like I say, it's complicated. Don't worry, I'll figure it out." He paused. "You said you studied Ptah-Hotep the Second."

"Yeah. What's your point? I don't see what that has to do with the phone call."

"Absolutely nothing." He paused. "What I want to know is why is your Pharaoh's queen an Osirian? What is she doing here? You said something earlier about a heart?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I noticed it during the procession... before you pushed me into the camel dung."

"Not my fault you picked the wrong place to stand. Back to this heart..."

"The Heart of Pteh-Hotep the Second. It was the carved jewel Sekhmet was holding. Ptah-Hotep was holding it in his hands the last time I saw it... or rather his mummy was."

Jarman was becoming confused. Since Sam and the Doctor were speaking in English, the TARDIS was assuring that they were understood the boy. However, the translation of the word "mummy" didn't exactly fit and Jarman's eyes grew wide. "You're going to kill Pharoah!?"

"What?!" the two men exclaimed in unison.

"Rose just said his dead body was holding a jewel."

"That's not exactly what I meant..." Sam started.

The Doctor instantly understood the problem that presented itself. He leaned slightly towards Sam. "Problem with the translation circuit," he explained. "Since Jarman doesn't really have a concept of mummies as we know them, the TARDIS translated as best as she could to match what he does know." He looked at Jarman with a smile. "We are not going to kill Pharaoh. At least, I hope not. Wouldn't be very good guests if we did that now, would we? What we mean is that Pharaoh owns a wonderful jewel that Rose is interested in seeing." He turned to Sam. "Speaking of which, I've never heard of it. Tell me about it."

"Well," Sam started slowly, glad that Jarman no longer thought they were homicidal, or regicidal as the case would be, "I always thought it was a myth. It was supposed to be his greatest treasure and legend said that it would give him the power to come back from the dead." He huffed a laugh. "Boy, was I wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I leapt into the archeologist that discovered Ptah-Hotep's tomb. Things got pretty weird. All I know for certain is right before I leapt, Al told us to run, that the mummy had come back to life and was killing Dr. El Razul."

Jarman's face scrunched up again. "Leapt? Al? El Razul? Dead bodies coming back to life and killing people?" He threw up his hands. "Rose, you are beautiful but I think that Diet Coke has gone to your head. I don't think you should drink anymore of it!"

The Time Lord looked at Sam with a hint of condescension. "For one who has devoted their life to science, I'm sure you know, Dr. Beck.. um... Rose," he corrected quickly, "mummies don't come back from the dead. It's impossible."

Having his commitment to science and fact questioned rubbed Sam the wrong way. "Yeah? Well, that's what I always believed, too. I still do." At the look on the Doctor's face, he explained. "There has to be some explanation that fits rational physical reality. I know there's no such thing as 'magic' or 'sorcery.' All I know is what Al told me he saw and that was Ptah-Hotep's mummy reanimating."

"Okay, okay," the Doctor agreed, giving the leaper the benefit of the doubt. "So... Ptah-Hotep's mummy became animated and killed this Dr. El Razul."

Sam nodded and finished his explanation, "For trying to take the heart."

"Why would Ptah-Hotep be upset about some archeologist taking the heart? I mean other than not liking grave robbers."

"It goes back to the myth. This diamond - it was about the size of a cow's eye - was said to be the source of his magic. The legend said it would bring him back to life."

The Doctor considered Sam's words. "Diamond heart... source of his magic... brings him back to life..." His eyes brightened. "Wait... yes! No... no... YES!" He punched the air enthusiastically. "The Heart of Ptah-Hotep has to be Osirian technology! It's the only explanation for him coming back to life thousands of years in the future!"

"How would Osiran technology do that?"

"Suspended animation," the Time Lord abruptly told him.

"What?"

The Doctor looked at him as if he had just questioned whether or not the chemical composition of water was H2O. "Ptah-Hotep was very likely using Osirian technology to put himself in suspended animation until he was resurrected when you encountered him during your leap into that archeological expedition."

"Um...yeah," he started. "But we're talking almost 3500 years."

"Three or four thousand years is a drop in a bucket for Osirians," the Time Lord answered. "As I told you before, they actually lived for a very long time. And suspended animation was mostly used to heal wounds. But I'm sure a very clever human could easily figure out how to use suspended animation technology to come back from supposed death a few thousand years in the future, especially if he had an Osirian to teach him how to use it."

The Earth physicist considered what the Doctor was saying. "Well, it certainly is better than believing something really hokie was going on." As he said the words, a sound he hadn't expected to hear came to his ears.

"What's hokie?" the voice of the hologram asked.

The Doctor turned towards Al with a slight roll of his eyes. "Well, here's trouble. Thought you could only find Sam if he was in his own lifetime. No... wait. Don't tell me... Rose's mobile. Am I right? Blimey, that's brilliant!"

"Yeah. It was Captain Harkness' idea," Al replied.

The Doctor's eyes grew dark. "So how is Jack?" he questioned, clearly still upset with the idea of Jack being associated with Torchwood.

"Jack isn't a very happy camper at the moment. He was quite surprised to see Rose again but he's not thrilled that you hung up on him. Twice."

"Oi! I didn't hang up on him! Well... I did. But only the one time and I hadn't even really connected that time so that doesn't really count, does it? And the second time... well... the first time really... that wasn't my fault. It was Sam's. He didn't charge the phone!"

"Whatever," Sam stated, giving up on ever getting the Doctor to accept he couldn't have charged the phone if he didn't know he had one to charge.

Jarman frowned in confusion at the apparently one-sided conversation the Doctor was having. Figuring that he was speaking to spirits – great magi do that sometimes – he decided to listen in quietly.

Al listened to the explanation before shaking his head as if trying to follow a circular logic statement. Shrugging, he simply said, "Well, you can work that out with him. All that I know is he was really upset." He then turned to Sam. "You don't know how glad I am to see you, kid. I wasn't sure what we'd find when we located _him_." His inflection at the end made it clear it wasn't just Jack who was perturbed with the Doctor.

The alien looked slightly offended by Al's tone but let the comment slide, figuring that it probably wasn't the best time to get into an argument with a hologram... not that there ever was a good time to get into an argument with a hologram.

"I'm glad to see you too," Sam said, wanting get past the greeting to let his friend know about the incredible news he had. "You'll never believe where we are!" He stopped. "Well... I mean who we're with. I mean... what does Ziggy know?" Sam was obviously excited.

Al frowned slightly. "Sam, we only just now got a lock on you. We know that you're in Ancient Egypt in the 18th Dynasty and..." He looked at Sam for a long moment, his eyes widening. "Sam... what are you wearing?"

"This is how noble women dress in this time period."

Jarman frowned at his words. "No, they don't, Lady Rose. I told you. You are wearing far too much. Are you and Lord Doctor talking to spirits?"

"Well, in that case, I'm glad Beth is just a lowly peasant!" Al commented.

Sam ignored Jarman's question, his attention on Al. "Can we just forget about the clothing? What we've found is way more important. You'll be happy to know that Ptah-Hotep coming back to life... it's not what you thought. It's not like a horror flick. He just never really died."

"Never died?" Al questioned, sure that he knew what he'd seen. "Sam... he was a mummy..."

"You mean the wrappings?" the Doctor put in. "That was probably just protection from the elements. He was in suspended animation."

"Okay... so... he was over three thousand years old."

"Three thousand four hundred ninety-one years," the Doctor corrected. "Since I understand your leap was in 1957."

Al wasn't buying it. "Three thousand four hundred ninety-one years... I think you're nuts."

"Really, not that unusual when you consider Osirian technology prolonged his life," the Doctor continued as if Al hadn't said anything. Seeing the look on the hologram's face, he clarified. "The Heart of Ptah-Hotep the Second, I think Sam called it, probably was an Osirian suspension crystal. They were usually made of diamond so it's not a surprise that humans thought it was just some great treasure."

"What the hell is an Osirian suspension crystal?" Al cried. The handlink squealed. "Oh, Ziggy says that the Osirians were an alien species that could suspend life over great time frames." He looked up at Sam. "How would she know that?"

"Probably heard it from Jack," the Doctor commented.

Al looked at the handlink. "Yeah, you're right."

The Time Lord folded his arms over his chest. "What's he been telling you anyway? Never mind, I'll ask him myself. Go get him."

"That's a little difficult... you see..."

Sam shook his head. "You've had others in the chamber before, right?"

"There. You see? If you can have others in, you can bring Jack in," the Doctor agreed. "So, go get him."

Al sighed. Sam's Swiss cheese mind had to remember that. In fact, during this leap, Sam seemed to be remembering a lot more than usual. "Yeah." Al hit the buttons on the handlink, calling out simultaneously," Gooshie, send Captain Harkness in."

The Gallifreyan frowned for a moment. "Gooshie? What kind of name is Gooshie? Sounds like the consistency of mud after a thunderstorm."

Sam turned to the Doctor. "Dr. Schlomo Gushman is one of the most brilliant programmers I've ever worked with. Other than the halitosis, he's a joy to be with."

"Schlomo?" the Doctor commented. "No wonder he goes by Gooshie. Poor man."

A moment later, Sam and the Doctor saw Al talking to what seemed like thin air. "Yeah, you're going to have to grab me by my shoulder, Jack. I don't care if you'd rather grab... yeah, the shoulder. Thanks."

Suddenly, the boyishly good looking face of Captain Jack Harkness appeared. From the expression on said face, however, it was obvious that he wasn't in the best of moods at that moment. "Okay, Doctor. I understand that after the fight with the Dragon you had some things you had to do. I get that. I really do. But for the last five and a half days, I've been fighting with a parallel hybrid computer that's afraid of new software, I haven't been able to use my cell phone because of dead zones, and I've had to keep explaining," Jack said looking at Al, "that you generally don't go around allowing your companions to die... and what the hell happens?" Becoming even more agitated, he exploded. "You hang up on me! Not once but twice! I hope you have a good explanation for that."

The Time Lord stared at Jack for a long moment, absorbing the vehement rant that came his way. Of all the complaints to hear from his former companion, he really had been expecting to hear more about the last time he had seen him, namely on Game Station in the year 200,100. When he'd thought about how he'd left Jack, this particular tirade didn't match anything he had imagined would occur upon next meeting him. "What?" he exclaimed, clearly confused.

"You hung up on me!" Jack repeated. "I'd been trying to reach you on Rose's phone for the past five days after you left to get silphium and, when you finally answered, you hung up on me!"

"Fifty six phone calls," the Doctor confirmed. "I noticed..." he started before Jack jumped in again.

"It was more than that," the immortal man stated firmly. "A lot more."

"Yes, but that's all the phone's buffer will save," the Time Lord explained. "But what does that have to do with parallel-hybrid computers, dead zones, and supposedly possibly allowing my companions to die, which of course I never would allow?"

Sam also was concerned. "You were trying to reprogram Ziggy?"

Although still upset with the Doctor, at the physicist's voice, Jack turned to him. Obviously enjoying the view, he smiled broadly. "Gawd, you're gorgeous! Anyone ever tell you that? Nice robes, by the way. Shows your assets just right," he said, gestering with one hand as if caressing a body.

"Stop it," the Doctor warned.

"Geez, he's as bad as you, Al," Sam bemoaned. "Maybe worse."

"Oh, I'd say definitely worse," both Al and the Doctor said at the same time.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "We're agreeing with each other? Something must be going wrong with the universe."

Al narrowed his eyes at the Doctor. "You're a barrel of laughs. You know that?"

The alien grinned widely at his words. "Yup."

"Okay. But Jack's... um... obsession doesn't explain why he was reprogramming Ziggy," Sam complained.

"I wasn't!" Jack protested.

"Well, not exactly," Al clarified. "We were just trying to put in the programming to allow Ziggy to connect to the cell phone."

"But, that's brilliant! No... wait a minute... why didn't you just call us?" the Doctor asked Jack.

"Didn't I just explain that the middle of New Mexico is a dead zone?" he complained. "I tried. The land lines wouldn't work, the cell phone wouldn't work..."

"You could have gone to Socorro..." Sam offered.

"No, I couldn't because your creation wouldn't _let _me!"

"Why not?" Sam questioned with a frown.

"Because one of our Marine guards had very contagious strep throat and we were under quarantine. That's why," Jack emphasized. "And you still haven't answered my question, Doctor. Why did you hang up on me?"

The Doctor's grin faded instantly. "No. The question is... what are you doing working for Torchwood?" he asked darkly. "After all they did..."

"Don't you change the subject..." Jack started but, seeing that the Doctor wasn't likely to be swayed, decided if he wanted his question answered, he'd have to deal with this one first. "Torchwood isn't what you experienced anymore. You think I'd let it stay that way? I'm preparing them."

"Preparing them for the Great British Empire?"

"No. You know what happens to Earth in the 21st century."

Al and Sam looked at each other. "What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

Jack shook his head. "I can't tell you that." He nodded to the Doctor. "But he knows."

"Please," the Doctor continued as if Sam hadn't interrupted. "So, things start to change. But the Earth is completely safe well into the 22nd century. Well, when I say completely safe, I mean mostly safe."

"Exactly. If you can help out on occasion without changing things, so can I."

"But you are changing things!" the Doctor exclaimed. "What? You think stealing alien technology and using it for your own purposes isn't interfering with human history?"

"Yes, we are collecting alien technology. But I've been able to assure that most of it is locked away. In the meantime, we're able to protect the people of Earth from the occasional flotsam that shows up in Cardiff. The Rift pulls it in. If we didn't handle the flotsam, the Earth wouldn't have a chance."

"Rift?" Sam questioned. "Cardiff isn't on the border of a tectonic plate..."

"A rift in time and space," the Doctor told him quickly as if it were irrelevant.

"A rip in space-time?" Sam started getting excited, thinking about the concept. His eyes brightened and one could almost see the cogs going around in his mind. "Those have been predicted for years but never proven. You're saying they're real?"

Once again, Jack looked over at him, smiling. "Oh gawd, he's adorable. Is he always this perky?"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Yes, he is. Perky, that is. Unfortunately. He's also a bit thick sometimes."

Giving both men a look that could kill, Sam sarcastically responded, "It's nice you find me so valuable, Doctor. As to you," he pointed at Captain Harkness, "I'd really appreciate you not looking at me as if I were a piece of meat."

"Oh! Feisty too!" Jack commented with appreciation.

Sam's eyes narrowed at the Captain.

"Yes," the Doctor said, knowing that once Jack's mind went in that direction, it would be like pulling teeth to get a solid answer to his query. "But back to Torchwood. The instability of the Rift just isn't an acceptable excuse for working..."

Catching the Doctor's statement about the instability of the rift, Sam again became excited about learning more about the phenomena. "Maybe space-time rips work like geologic ones. You know, geologic rifts become unstable when the plates change position. Theoretically, on a quantum level, rifts in space-time might work the same way."

"Oh, very good!" the Doctor complimented. "Now that's not thick at all." He turned to Jack. "See? He's more than just good looks."

"True," Jack answered. "But that just makes him more adorable."

"Well, can't expect me to travel around with a slug."

Jack growled slightly. "You still haven't answered my question!" The holograms from the future started to fade in an out. "Gooshie... not now, I've..." and then they were gone.

The Time Lord huffed. "And I won't until you've answered mine," he muttered back, despite the ex Time Agent no longer being around. "I'm sure they'll find us again. Probably a power consumption problem. In the meantime, we have an appointment with Pharaoh."

Jarman frowned yet again. "No, we don't. I'm not sure that Pharaoh would want to have an audience with you two. For a master and mistress, you are both very strange and a little scary."

The Gallifreyan blinked for a moment, realizing how the whole conversation must have looked for the young man. "Sorry. Long story. But we will see Pharaoh, I can assure you. Come on." He headed out of the wardrobe, intent on finding his way to the palace.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The three compatriots stepped out of the TARDIS and back into the alley. As they moved into a more open area, the Doctor looked up and commented that from the location of the sun in the sky it was likely close to one o'clock. There was very little shade thrown from the low mud brick buildings.

Sam looked around as they made their way through the wide main thoroughfare that lead to the palace, a grin on his face that would have made the Chetshire cat proud. "Wow. Egypt. I can't believe I'm really walking the streets of Ancient Egypt!"

Jarman looked at him. "What's Egypt?"

Realizing that to the native of the time, he was using terms that wouldn't be correct for several thousand years, he amended. "Kemet. Egypt is what we call this place where I come from."

"Oh," Jarman answered. "Strange word. Where do you come from?"

"Well, let's just say that to me this fits the paraphrase of 'long time ago in a country far, far away.'"

"What's a paraphrase?"

Sam dropped his head. "Forget it."

"A paraphrase, Jarman, is using someone else's words and changing a word here and there to make it your own without altering the meaning," the Doctor instructed. He turned to Sam with a frown. "'Star Wars'?"

"Hey, it was a good movie. Great special effects for the time." The physicist continued to wallow in the experience. "I never thought I'd see anything like this other than in a diorama! Thebes in its glory!"

"This is the reason I travel, Sam," the Gallifreyan said, a broad smile on his face. "To see history as it happens, not as it was written in books."

Sam agreed with the Doctor. "I wanted to observe history as well. That's why I created my project." The physicist continued to look at the wonders he'd never dreamt he'd actually experience when his eyes lit on a large pillar in the square. The archeologist in him noticed the pillar was carved with hieroglyphics and he simply had to read it. He ran his finger over the engravings as he translated aloud. "Amenhotep, Son of Ahmose, Ruler of the Two Kingdoms of Kemet, protector of the weak, carrier of the feather of Maat, beloved of Horus'... Gee, when you look at these words in this context, it's a bit daunting."

"Good way to keep the commoners in line. Scare the hell out of them," the Doctor commented. "Who wouldn't be frightened of disobeying you when you are the 'beloved of Horus?'"

"That's true. Never quite thought of it that way." Sam continued to read. Suddenly he stopped. "Doctor, how many times and in which eras have you been in Egypt?"

"Oh, plenty of times. The last time was on the other side of the city. Similar hieroglyphics over there too. Different Pharaoh, different phraseology but you get the idea." He put his hands on his waist, suddenly missing his pockets. "Common tactic for the Pharaohs, though, so it's not much of a surprise that Amenhotep did it. Ahmose did it too when I knew him. If I'm right about what time of the year it is, Amenhotep probably died... oh... four months ago? They're probably still mummifying him as we speak."

Jarman nodded. "Yes, Amenhotep, may his journey be pleasant, went to meet Osirus three moons ago."

"Huh," Sam answered. "Pretty good memory you have, Doctor. Only off a month." He returned to his initial discovery. "Well, I guess since you were here before this time, it sort of explains this." He pointed at a particular hieroglyph.

The Doctor moved closer to read the hieroglyph, a smile spreading on his face. "Newly carved," he asserted. "It wouldn't be the first time the TARDIS appeared in an ancient text. Mind you, it does tell of a fascinating story about a traveler wearing odd clothing. It also explains how Ahmose's sons accepted this man as their brother."

"Their brother? What do you mean?"

The Time Lord hesitated, scratching his sideburn. "Well... the traveler was adopted into the royal family, according to the hieroglyph."

"You mean that you... that they... but that would make you..." Sam blustered.

The Doctor gave a bit of a shrug. "Told you we'd get an audience with Pharaoh."

"How are you going to explain being here back in Ahmose's time and still being a young man?"

Jarman looked at Rose as if he was crazy. "Lord Doctor is a magi. He can do anything!"

The Time Lord preened at the compliment for a moment before he realized that the boy's defense of him was merely a reflection of his hero worship. "Well, I wouldn't say I can do anything. Most things..."

"Good thing you're not wearing a hat," Sam commented drily.

"I don't wear hats. Give me hat hair. I haven't worn a hat in... oh... three hundred years? Give or take a hundred." He paused. "What's wrong with hats? Why can't I wear one?"

"Because with your head as big as it's getting, it wouldn't fit anymore."

The Time Lord just gave him a glare in response as the three continued on their journey. Before long, they approached a two story long white building with frescos painted on it in multicolors.

Entering, Sam sighed in relief. It was much more pleasant to be out of the sun since the building materials of the palace provided insulation, which somewhat cooled the interior. As they headed to what he knew would be the great hall, he drank in their surroundings. "I never thought I'd see these buildings like this," he said under his breath. Moments later, they had reached the main throne room. Seated on a large throne in front of them was a man wearing what Sam knew to be the two crowns of Egypt: the white from the north and the red from the south. The fake ceremonial beard hung from his chin. "Ptah Hotep," he whispered in awe.

The Doctor waited patiently for a minister to finish speaking with the monarch before taking the initiative. Stepping up towards the throne, he bowed deeply with respect. "Your Greatness. I am Abubakar Nuru, also known as the Doctor."

Ptah-Hotep looked at the man strangely. "My uncle Abubakar Nuru left Kemet long ago. According to my grandfather, the great Ahmose, he entered Nuit's kingdom in a Lapis Box."

A man standing beside the Pharaoh moved forward. "Yes, Pharaoh. But legend said he would return someday in another time and place."

The Doctor gave the man a hint of a grin before addressing Ptah-Hotep again. "And I have returned, just as legend foretold."

"Then you claim to be my uncle? The one Ahmose adopted as his son?" The kohl edged eyes of the Pharaoh narrowed. "Are you here to challenge me for my throne?"

"The throne belongs to my nephew, for he is the chosen of Ra," the Time Lord replied somberly, his eyes meeting Pharaoh's. He hoped his light telepathic suggestion would be accepted.

Ptah-Hotep considered the words, somehow feeling he must believe the man in front of him. "Of course, Uncle. May I offer you refreshment?"

"Please," the Gallifreyan accepted. "And for Rose and Jarman." He gestured towards his friends.

The Pharaoh used his long pointer finger to summon the slave girls who brought forth goblets of honey wine. "Rose. That is not a name from our lands."

The alien nodded in agreement to the observation as he accepted a goblet. "No, she comes from a distant land and her mother has placed her in my care while we travel together."

Sam stepped forward and in mostly fluent ancient Egyptian stated, "It is an honor to meet you, great celestial wonder."

Ptah-Hotep looked momentarily confused at the terminology and then smiled. "Ah, you compare me favorably to Nuit's realm. That is quite an honor indeed."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "She's very good with languages not her own... even if she doesn't have all the words right." He frowned at Sam, whispering, "Great celestial wonder?"

Sam shrugged and replied back in a soft voice. "I'm a little out of practice. I don't speak it every day, you know. It seemed right."

Not hearing the quiet conversation, Pharaoh nodded appreciatively. "Yes. For one from a foreign land, she speaks in a mid-Kushian dialect."

Sam grinned. "I learned to speak the language because of you, great one."

"It is appreciated." Pharaoh then turned to the Doctor. "Uncle, I may not recall the stories clearly but I do know that when you visited my grandfather, you were here for quite awhile. How can I help you this time?"

The Doctor took a drink of the wine in his hand before looking up at the Pharaoh. "Nephew, we require lodgings but I'm not sure exactly for how long."

"Yes. You shall, of course, stay in the Palace. My Vizier shall see to it." With a clap of Pharaoh's hands, the man beside the throne bowed deeply and walked off. Almost as an afterthought, the ruler added. "Of course, we will provide lodging for your servant as well."

The Time Lord grimaced slightly at Ptah-Hotep's words, realizing that he was speaking about the young man in his care. "Jarman isn't my servant. He's..." He glanced over at the boy before deciding on the proper words to use. "...my ward."

The Pharaoh's eyebrows went up slightly. "Your ward. Of course. You will let me know if you require anything else for you or the lovely Lady Rose?"

"Only your companionship when your duties permit," the Doctor told him, with a smile. He looked to Sam and then to himself. "And perhaps clothing during our stay as well."

"Of course. You shall have the finest linens to clothe you. And the most sheer for the Lady Rose so that her beauty may shine forth."

Sam's face reddened. "Sheerness will not be necessary, sire." At the frown on the Pharaoh's face, he continued. "In my land, it is considered honorable for a woman to wear more... substantial clothing."

Ptah-Hotep's frown did not ease. "But you are in my country. Surely you shall follow our ways while you are here."

The Doctor gave Sam a warning glare. "Rose, don't insult him. We may be honored guests but he is still Pharaoh."

With a lopsided half smile, the physicist relented. "Um. Of course." He sighed. "Sheer linens will be appreciated."

Ptah-Hotep nodded. "Good. Then I ask for you to take your rest in your chambers for now as I tend to the business of state. You will join me for dinner."

"It would be an honor, nephew," the Doctor agreed. Seeing the Vizier return with a servant, he motioned towards Sam and Jarman. "Come on," he encouraged, following the servant as was indicated.

Sam and Jarman bowed low before the Pharaoh and followed the Doctor. They were taken to a suite with multiple rooms. It was large and well appointed.

"Aw, now this is what I call posh!" the Gallifreyan exclaimed, clearly impressed with their surroundings. "Don't you think it's posh?" he questioned to Sam as he walked over into the large balcony that overlooked the great city of Thebes. "Looks like ol' Ptah-Hotep upgraded the master suites while I was gone. Then again, it has been several decades since I've been here. Well, according to their point of view. From mine, it's been more like a few centuries."

Sam looked over to the Doctor. "Yeah. Nice room." He let out an annoyed breath. "Right now I'm just 'thrilled' with the wardrobe choices," he said, his voice clearly showing he wasn't. "I get to wear practically see through clothes while you and Jarman get to wear kalasiris so that you're at least covered."

"Well, it's not that bad. At least you'll be cooler. Well, at least indoors anyway," the Doctor commented, not looking back at him. "Mind you, you could always wear a couple of layers like you're doing now. Make it a little less see through."

"I don't think it's going to work with the thin linens he was talking about. I think the Pharaoh just wants to see Rose's... um assets."

"Assets?" Jarman asked.

"Yeah. Assets," Sam answered as he paced. In his upset state he didn't think to explain himself further.

"Breasts, Jarman," the Doctor explained bluntly. "Among other things," he muttered under his breath. He seemed to freeze physically at his own words. "Hadn't thought of that. Umm... maybe three or four layers? Multi-color! You could start a new fashion fad!"

Sam narrowed his eyes. "Great idea, but based on his attitude about 'when in Thebes,' I don't think he'd approve."

The alien frowned slightly. "Probably not. I'm not sure he'd listen to his uncle either. Funny that, me being an uncle to a Pharaoh. Never really thought about that when Ahmose called me his son. I thought it was more of a phrase of gratitude, not an actual adoption."

"Well, it certainly makes it easier for us to move about." Sam's eyes scanned the room. "I used to dream about being somewhere like this, you know? I'd read about these times and it was just so cool, thinking about people who lived so long before. I never thought I'd actually be here, though. At least not while everything was going on."

A gentle smile grazed the Time Lord's face at his words. "Well, Dr. Beckett, welcome to the great city of Thebes. What do you think?"

Jarman had taken to looking around the room after Rose had voiced her feelings over the clothing she would be wearing. He really didn't understand that. All the great ladies wore such linens to keep themselves cool and she didn't seem to get the fact she was being honored. Plus, Pharaoh himself was calling her Lady Rose. Added to that, his master was referring to another doctor and Jarman looked up to see who had entered the room so quietly. Seeing only the Doctor and Rose, he was thoroughly confused. "Who's Doctor Beckett?"

"He's referring to me, Jarman." Seeing the confusion on the boy's face growing deeper, Sam shrugged, but grinned slyly. "Don't look at me. It's the Lord Doctor's words. Sometimes you just don't know what he's going to call someone."

"Don't you start with the Lord Doctor thing!" the Gallifreyan berated him. "Bad enough that Jarman is doing it." Suddenly, his eyes widened at another thought. "And you make me sound like I'm senile or something! I may be over nine hundred years old but I'm in full possession of my faculties, thank you very much." He sniffed slightly. "Besides, Jarman's just confused."

"Okay. Fine. I get that. You want to have a go at explaining this to him?" he asked, using his hand to refer to the man within the woman's aura.

The Doctor opened his mouth and immediately closed it, not making a sound. He thought for a very long moment before opening and closing his mouth several times, looking very much like a fish. Then, sighing, he relented. "Okay. Rose is right. I call people strange names." He pointed a finger at Sam. "But I'm not senile!"

"I never said you were," Sam said with a grin. He then looked out the window again. "In answer to your question, it's awesome."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, definitely awesome." Sam took in the view for a long moment before turning back to the Gallifreyan. "Okay, now we're in the palace. What's your plan to deal with Sehkmet?"

"I need to find out the details of my nephew's relationship with her. If she is a megalomaniac intent on destroying life like her mentor was, then we'll have to stop whatever plans she has for Ptah-Hotep without disrupting the timeline."

Sam frowned. "Well, today in the procession, she was holding the same diamond that his mummy will be holding when I find him in 1957... at least I assume I'll still leap into that dig. I mean, if something changes here, does that mean that part of the timeline will still happen?" He sighed. "I thought leaping mostly in my own lifetime was complicated. This throughout all time and space is definitely that wobbly stuff."

"There are several possibilities concerning that. Right now, I'm working on the basis that what you leapt into is the proper timeline. Which means that my nephew will become a murderously possessive mummy in the future," the Doctor concluded. "Talk about dysfunctional families."

Sam was about to respond when there was a knock on the door, indicating that the clothing for dinner had arrived. He had to admit from the standpoint of a scientist, the sheerness of the linen was quite amazing, rivaling or even exceeding what could be produced with technology from his own time. As the person who had to wear it, though, he wasn't so happy. He spent quite a bit of time figuring out a way to make certain areas of his host's anatomy less... clear. The Doctor had gotten ready much quicker though and made a comment about women always taking too long to get ready and imposing the same on the aura challenged man. Sam had just shot arrows out of narrowed eyes, but had said nothing.

Jarman, now dressed in fine linens, was amazed by the experience. "I'm going to a dinner at Pharaoh's palace! Me! A week ago, I was sleeping in the marketplace. Now I'm the servant of Pharaoh's uncle. Just shows that one can never know for certain what the future will bring."

"Jarman..." the Doctor groaned before sighing in exasperation, knowing that any attempt at correcting his words would only upset the boy just as they did before.

Sam, seeing the disconcertion on the alien's face, decided to step in. "Jarman, the Doctor doesn't expect you to be his servant. I'm sure he wants much more for you."

Jarman shook his head. "No, Rose. It's fine. This is a much better place for me. Being a servant is worth the cost of my freedom."

"Now hold on a minute!" the Doctor exclaimed, having heard enough of Jarman's continued demeaning of himself. "I didn't request your assistance only for you to give up your freedom! I'm trying to find you a better position as an employee so that you can have a better life and still maintain your freedom. You never were and never will be my servant. Why do you think I give you gold coins? It's payment for services rendered."

"I thought you just wanted me to have money to take care of your purchases."

"That money is for you to keep and save," the Time Lord told him firmly. "If I need you to purchase something for me, I will give you the necessary money for the purchase, like when I sent you for honey wine. I gave you an additional coin because there wasn't enough change left to pay you for the errand."

"Oh," Jarman said, trying to get his head around the idea that this Lord was treating him almost as... as... what? Certainly not an equal. That could never be, not to Jarman. However it was something more than a boy from the streets of Thebes had even considered. He put it into the only context he knew. "You want to adopt me as your son?"

"Good heavens, no!" came the immediate response. The Gallifreyan paused. "Not that you wouldn't make someone a fine son. I mean, you are a bright and generous lad. You're honest and true. Always faithful... Blimey, I sound like I'm describing a Jack Russell Terrier."

"But... but..." Jarman started, now more confused than ever.

Sam gave a slight grin to the Doctor as he added, "or an Eagle Scout." He turned to the boy. "Jarman, I think what the Doctor is saying is you are his friend. He cares what happens to you and if he can help make your life better, he will. Just accept that sometimes good things can happen."

"What's an Eagle Scout?"

"The Eagle is a bird. Similar to a falcon. Like Horus. I guess you could call an Eagle Scout a person who follows the good things that Horus stands for."

"Like one of the Priests?"

"Well..." the Doctor commented. "Not exactly. More like ordinary people who follow the path of Horus... or something like that."

Sam answered, "More like a...a..." He hit on an idea. "An apprentice to a scribe. Learning a trade that will allow you to make your own way."

Jarman's face lit up. "You're going to teach me to be a scribe?"

"Well... maybe if there's time..." the Doctor started before pointing to Sam. "Rose can teach you a bit before finding you a proper teacher."

"Me?" Sam asked, somewhat surprised.

"Well, you're the one that suggested it and you do know how to read hieroglyphics."

"Yeah, that's true," Sam agreed but then his eyes developed a twinkle. "But you're much better and you've lived in this general time period before. That makes you the better choice."

"Now, you don't expect the adopted son of a Pharaoh to lower himself into the role of a servant of the state, do you?" the Time Lord replied with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"Jarman was willing to be your servant," Sam reasoned back. "I'd figured you might want..."

"Oi! Being willing and actually becoming are two completely different things!"

"They don't have to be. Trust me, willing or not, I've become a servant."

"Right then! That's settled!" The Doctor turned towards his 'ward'. "Jarman, Rose would be glad to start your apprenticeship towards becoming a scribe."

Sam, realizing his words had been somewhat twisted, complained, "That's not what I meant."

Jarman's face had brightened when he'd heard Rose would be his teacher. Hearing her words however, it suddenly fell. "You don't want me to learn?"

"Of course I want you to learn. It's just...well..." Jarman's visage had morphed into what Sam knew was his trademark with Al: puppy face. "Don't look at me that way." He finally sighed. "Okay, yeah. I'll teach you hieroglyphics. No wonder Al's such a push over."

Jarman was going to thank Rose when the Doctor spoke up, blinking at Sam's words. "I really can't picture Albert as a push over. Are we talking about the same man who has continually been an annoyance every time he shows up?"

"Al's not that bad," Sam defended. "If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't have survived my first leap, much less subsequent ones."

"I'm not denying that, only that he would be so easily influenced by a pair of batting eyelashes."

Sam knew he had shifted time for Al when he'd talked to Beth after that strange visit to the Bartender. But before that had happened, he'd exchanged mesons with Al and had developed a better appreciation of the finer sex because of that. While his natural tendencies were still firmly in place he couldn't say that he would rather it never had happened. "What's wrong with batting eyelashes?" he said as he batted his aura's to make a point.

Jarman, listening to the words the Doctor and Rose exchanged and knowing as common knowledge one of the more popular uses of silphium, felt that he was finally seeing why the Doctor had him chop so much of it. "Don't worry, Rose. You'll be safe. Lord Doctor has taken precautions."

Sam broke from his banter with the Doctor and turned to Jarman. "What?"

"Lord Doctor had me chop a _lot _of silphium and he boiled it so I guess it concentrates it or something. I'll just go sit in the garden until you are through." He started to head to the door.

"Silphium?" Sam said, his eyes widening. "You used silphium? You know I'm not really Rose so what would possess you to give me a contraceptive? I don't swing that way!" He paused. "Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's just not me. And even if I did, I wouldn't need a contraceptive. I don't have the right plumbing!" He paused again. "Do you? Swing that way, I mean."

"What?! No!" the Time Lord protested, clearly flustered by the accusation. "Why would I give you a contraceptive? I know you're not really Rose and, even if you were Rose, I don't see a reason why she would need a contraceptive." He paused for a moment before his eyes widened with realization. "You mean you think that Rose and I... that we... No! Never! I wouldn't even think of... The silphium wasn't for that!"

"Then what was it for?" Sam asked confused. "That was its primary use in this culture."

"That may be the case but it isn't the _only _use it has! It is the primary ingredient necessary to make Dragon anti-venom!"

"What? Really? I guess it's a good thing that I was leapt into your companion to fight off the Dragon. If I'd been doing that with someone without a TARDIS, I'd be out of luck since it's been extinct almost two thousand years."

"Well, that's one way of looking at it," the Doctor murmured, thinking that if Sam hadn't leapt into Rose, it might really be her life he would have had to save.

Jarman had listened to the interaction between then and shook his head once more. "So... I guess I don't need to go into the garden?"

"No, Jarman," the Doctor confirmed. "There is no need to give me and Lady Rose any privacy for illicit sexual reasons." He shivered slightly at the thought. "Good thing Captain Jack isn't here. He would have had a field day!"

Sam was about to say something as well, but the sound of a knock was heard on the door. Opening it he found a slave who had been sent to retrieve them for the dinner. He turned back to his companions. "Showtime."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The trio walked into the main dining hall, following the servant who had come for them. The room was resplendent with colorful linens and food, causing the alien time traveler's mouth to water.

"Now, that's a spread!" the Doctor complimented.

Sam and Jarman followed and as they walked in both had similar reactions. Jarman's eyes grew wide as he took it all in. "It's beautiful!"

"Yeah," answered Sam. "Like nothing I've ever seen before."

Ptah-Hotep looked up from his table. "Ah. My honored guests. Come, sit beside me."

The Doctor beamed brightly at the Pharaoh and meandered over to him. "Lovely meal you have provided, nephew. I'm honored. But then again, you just said that so perhaps I should say I'm an honored honored guest."

"Yes," Ptah-Hotep started, clearly a bit confused. "Well. The stories did say that at times my uncle was wont to say strange things."

"You can say that again," Sam quipped.

"Oi, no ganging up," the Doctor warned with a hint of a smile to the physicist.

Jarman was too awed to speak.

As the group sat in the place that had been set for them - the Doctor next to the Pharaoh, then Sam, and then Jarman - the serving girls began to bring various bowls of food for the diners.

Ptah Hotep looked to his uncle. "The stories say that my uncle refused to wear hairpieces but rather chose to leave his head uncovered. They say he had hair like the barbarians. Long and with curls but not dressed. Yours is not that way... why have you changed?"

The Doctor thought about the way he had looked the last time he had visited Egypt, namely during his Eighth incarnation. He also recalled how the Babylonians kept their hair: long, curly and intricately designed. In many ways, their hair styles reminded him of the styles worn by the Lensiati, though the Lensiati used their hair as a sort of declaration of rank. "Well... change is good, isn't it? Besides, I rather like this hair. Still... a little more ginger in the hair would have been nice. Never was ginger before. Then again, why mess with this level of perfection?" He grinned broadly at his own slightly narcissistic attitude.

"I suppose. Still, how do I know for sure you are my uncle?"

"I suppose I could identify the bracelet that I gave Ahmose," the Doctor told him as he bit into an apple. "A parting gift from the last time I was here. Had it specially engraved. Then again, that's not a real possibility, is it? I mean, given that it would have been buried with him."

"Yes. However, my grandfather used to show it to me. It had some very interesting figures engraved on it."

"Did he ever tell you what the figures meant?" the Time Lord questioned.

Ptah-Hotep gave him a slight smile. "Why don't you tell me, Uncle?"

A whimsical look came over the Time Lord's face as he remembered what he had etched on the silver bracelet with the large golden ornament. He'd chosen words that not only said what he wished but also provided a pleasing picture. "Two intricately designed but different symbols on the bracelet, one on either side. In my language, they translated as 'Ahmose, my Earthly Father, king of great justice. May your reign be long lasting and your land be at peace.' Or something like that. I was a bit more open with my feelings then." He sniffed slightly. "Of course, I had to translate it to Ahmose. After all, I couldn't expect him to be able to read my people's language."

Sam looked at the Doctor. "I think Al would have liked you then." His nose crinkled. "Sounds like English lit to me."

The Time Lord grinned slightly. "Albert likes English literature? I'm beginning to like him more and more."

"Well... you two can keep it."

"What is this English literature?" Ptah-Hotep asked.

"Stories from a far distant land written down so that the general population may enjoy and learn from it," the Doctor told him.

"How strange. The idea that the general public would be able to read without the help of scribes."

"Well, not everyone can read and write in that distant land but most can," the Gallifreyan informed him. He noted a servant coming to remove his plate, even though he hadn't finished what was on it. It seemed odd to him that everything he ate was taken away before he had a chance to completely clean his plate. Even his first glass of honeywine had been pilfered ahead of its time.

"The fact that you know of these distant lands that none of the learned priests have ever spoken of says that you have traveled far."

"Oh... yes, I've traveled... lots of traveling... seeing sites, meeting interesting people, all those sorts of things," came the reply. The Doctor took a drink of his honey wine - the second glass - as he spoke, knowing that the Pharaoh couldn't even beginning to understand what he had seen and done in the last five hundred or so years.

"I was told that you were a wanderer." As they spoke, a sound was heard from outside the great hall. A moment later, an object was rolled into the room. It was a blue police box. "I was told this structure was previously seen at my uncle's last appearance. I assume this is your property?"

"Aw, brilliant! You found her!" Jumping to his feet, the Gallifreyan jogged over to the TARDIS and patted it affectionately. "I'd be lost without my little blue box."

"Would you like for me to have it moved to your rooms?"

"Thank you. I would appreciate that greatly." As the servants moved to obey the order, the Doctor entreated them. "Be careful. It's very valuable to me."

While the dinner continued, Sam drank in the experience, recalling the tomb paintings showing such feasts and finding it the most amazing thing to insert himself into the picture, as one might call it.

Jarman felt like he had entered a life he'd never even dreamt of and all of it had happened in the course of a few days. He turned to Sam. "Meeting Lord Doctor was the best thing that has ever happened to me. He must be beloved by the gods."

Sam smiled. "Life sometimes can go in some rather nice directions. I'm glad you're happy, Jarman."

The Doctor made a sound of joy when the dessert arrived, consisting of fried bananas in honeyed syrup. "Oh, this is great. Better than great. The banana, you know, is just about the most perfect food found in the entire universe. Of course, there's the zipliter berry on Xanthes 6, but I personally think the banana still comes out on top." He took his spoon to the dessert and stopped in mid-bite. "What?" he questioned, noting the look on Sam's face.

Sam looked over at the Doctor as he almost waxed poetic about his fruit of choice. "You know, there are medicines to deal with hyperactivity."

"I'm not hyperactive. I'm just... exuberant." As he turned to Sam, his eyes dropped. He found he needed to look at a spot beyond him as Rose's aura kept creeping into his vision. Apparently, Sam's lack of modest dress was as uncomfortable to him as it was to Sam, despite his teasing the latter about ill-placed modesty. He figured that maybe Jarman's statement about the use of silphium was bothering him just a little too much and he wasn't totally sure why.

After the entertainment, composed of musicians and dancing girls, the Pharaoh indicated that he was ready to retire to his suite for the night. All guests, knowing that signaled the end of the evening, bowed low as he left.

"Lovely meal, wasn't it?" the Doctor commented as the group of three slowly made their way back to their suite. "Very fond of the lamb. Wish they hadn't kept taking my food from me before I had a chance to finish it, though. For dining in a royal palace that has to be the worst service I'd ever had."

"Is that what we were eating?" Sam asked distracted. "I didn't really notice the food. I was too busy taking it all in." He paused, realizing about what the Doctor had complained. "They didn't seem to take our food. Probably just due to wanting the uncle of Pharaoh kept happy."

The Gallifreyan raised an eyebrow. "In ancient Egypt and you don't pay attention to the food? How can you say you're taking it all in when you don't even notice the cuisine? Some archaeologist you are. Well, at least I got to enjoy the fried bananas! A real delicacy in this time. Love bananas!"

"Those were good. I liked the honey sauce." Jarman rubbed at his stomach. "I don't think I've ever eaten that much. It was all so delicious."

"Better watch that, Jarman. You eat too much all the time, you'll get fat," Sam stated before responding to the Doctor's words. "The food just didn't taste that different than what I ate when I worked in Egypt during my field work. What was getting to me was the music, the conversation, the dance. I've known all of it from the paintings. Seeing and hearing it for real though? Wow!" They continued walking down the hall. Sam nodded to a statue in a wall niche. "Take that for instance. That's a Hittite fertility figure. Probably was part of the gifts sent from their king to Ptah-Hotep."

The Doctor frowned slightly, looking at the figure that Sam pointed out. The figure itself was terracotta and featured two heads emerging from a Y-shaped body. Bending over slightly to get a closer look, the Doctor huffed slightly. "That's not Hittite. It's not even human."

"You're saying that's not Hittite but it's alien?"

The Time Lord picked up the supposed statue and looked at it from all sides. "Yup," he affirmed, emphasizing the "p" in the single word. He frowned slightly. "Might as well be a statue with how the holes on this thing are clogged up with terra cotta." He looked again at Sam as if he just realized he had said something. "Fertility figure? What is it with you humans and fertility? It's just simple procreation. And this little baddie is as far from having to do with procreation as you can get, unless you have a vivid imagination."

Sam smiled. "I don't have a problem with either of those concepts, put that way. But seriously, there has been a lot of study about these things. Fertility is just what makes sense." He paused. "What do you say it is?"

Jarman looked between the two once more, feeling like, yet again, they were going at it. "Yes, Lord Doctor, what?"

"It's a drinking straw."

Sam laughed. "A straw."

Jarman shrugged. "I don't know what that is."

Sam quickly explained. "You use it to suck up and consume liquid." He started to chuckle once again. "A straw. Right. Good joke."

The Doctor looked at him firmly, no indication of joviality on his face.

"You're not joking," Sam said, suddenly serious.

"Well, it's not a straw in how you would think of one," the Doctor admitted. "The people of Zytliszreebt have two mouths close together and prefer a liquid diet. Thus..." he waved the terracotta figure towards Sam. "Like I said, though, some Hittite probably found it half-buried and filled with dried mud, figured it was just damaged and filled in the holes not knowing that he should have cleaned it out instead." He shook his head, replacing the figure where he had found it. "Human beings. You are always seeing patterns when there aren't any. You wouldn't believe the number of things on this planet that have been misidentified as being terrestrial when they actually come from another world."

They had reached their suite and went in. The TARDIS had been placed against the wall in the larger open space.

Jarman sighed. He didn't understand what they were talking about and it was frustrating. "I'm going to sleep. Maybe in the morning the two of you will make more sense."

After wishing the boy a good night, the two scientists returned to their conversation.

"Where were we?" Sam asked.

"Extraterrestrial pottery," the Doctor provided.

"Yeah... that. You make it sound like we've had evidence of alien life around us for years and ignored it. We've been looking for actual data for... well... at least since Roswell."

"Only since Roswell?!" The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Meteors falling from the sky, odd debris found thousands of feet below the surface being dismissed as common earth minerals..." He gave a slight smile. "Eating utensils from the planet Zytliszreebt. All those UFO sightings dismissed as weather balloons, all those little pieces of evidence dismissed as hoaxes. Humans may say they are looking for intelligent life in the universe but when it shows up on their doorstep, they explain it away."

"We don't explain things away," Sam said a little heated. "We just put them into a context we can understand. Human beings just don't have the history to know about aliens."

"That's beside the point. The point is that in the absence of context you make up the most bizarre things to explain things away. Fertility figures, religious statues, ghosts..."

As he spoke the last word, the sound to the Imaging Chamber door graced their ears. "Ghosts? Don't tell me we're back to ghosts again!"

"Al!" Sam exclaimed. "No. No ghosts. Just aliens all around us."

"What aliens are around us?" Al asked, wariness in his face. He gave a glare to an unseen person. "I meant other than Mr. Skinny and Stubborn."

"I take it Captain Harkness is in the Imaging Chamber with you," Sam stated. Watching his friend talking to that unseen person, he realized this was how others likely saw him when he was talking with Al. He considered the other presence. He knew Jack's financial backing had meant that Al was able to continue as the project observer and link to the leaper's old life, which he still hoped had not been permanently severed. He wasn't sure how he felt about the project being in someone else's hands, though. He'd realized that feeling when he thought Jack had been reprogramming Ziggy. He also wasn't sure about Torchwood. On the one hand, his initial leap into Rose gave him the feeling that the Doctor's point of view concerning the organization might have merit. On the other, Al seemed to be okay with Jack and his activities and, if there was one thing Sam knew, Al didn't accept things idly.

"Um, yeah. He's here," Al replied to Sam's query before quickly turning his head. "Jack! Stop it. I told you... the shoulder."

"You're no fun," Jack complained as he came into view, his hand holding Al's shoulder. His head turned towards Sam and he grinned brightly. "And you are still gorgeous...doubly so. Nice outfit," he commented with a lecherous grin.

"Stop it," the Doctor warned out of habit. "And you still haven't answered my question. Why are you working for Torchwood?"

Jack exhaled. He should have known that the Time Lord would pick up right where they left off and strictly from his point of view. He decided to relent on the matter, knowing that the Doctor would only tell him what he wanted to know at his own leisure. "Fine. Torchwood. That requires a bit of background first. I know I wasn't exactly the most reliable person when you first met me. But we traveled together enough that I thought I'd proved I'd changed, that I'm better than I was before. You made me a better person." He paused. "Since Game Station, I've developed a 'longer perspective' than I'd had in the past. What I told you earlier is true. I'm helping Earth to survive. That's it. Pure and simple. The fact that I've used Torchwood to do it shouldn't be seen as a negative. Rather it's taking really sour lemons and making tolerable lemonade."

"You don't happen to have the seeds to the lemon tree, do you?" the Doctor questioned. Getting a confused look from Jack, he continued. "Well, you can make sweeter lemonade by just starting over rather than having to deal with sour lemons. Then again, Queen Victoria had the lemon tree seeds. Well, at least that's what Yvonne said. And if the only thing you have is sour lemons, I suppose a ton of sugar and water does help. Anyone thirsty?"

"Now that you mention it," Al stated.

Sam listened Jack making his case and made an observation. "If this organization was started by Queen Victoria, I suppose it had some significant financial backing."

Jack nodded. "Oh, yeah. I do have to budget but not nearly as tight as some groups do."

Al agreed. "That's one of the reasons Project Quantum Leap is still viable. If not for Jack, we would have been shut down a few years ago."

"Well, it's a win/win. The Project is still active and I get to use some of Ziggy's excess computer capacity," Jack said in response.

The Doctor listened to the points made by all three men, consideration on his face. Sniffing slightly, he took a breath. "Well... I suppose that Project Quantum Leap still being active did allow me to meet Dr. Beckett. And I have to admit that he has been of some help since he showed up." He looked at Sam. "But that still doesn't mean I prefer your company over Rose's."

"She'll be back. I can't say for certain when, though. I don't think I've ever had a leap that's lasted this long."

"You haven't," Al confirmed. "We're not sure why this one is going on longer and longer but Ziggy has a theory that the Doctor's activities have created a pent up need to make right what has gone wrong."

"You're blaming me for Sam's not leaping?! Oi! I don't put things wrong!"

"He said it was Ziggy's theory. Doesn't mean she's right," Sam offered.

"Your computer is most definitely not right!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I can't think of a time when a computer has been so not right before. Well... there was that one time when I forgot to take my psyche out of one. Caused it to have Displaced Personality Disorder. And then there was that other computer that kidnapped Charlemagne..."

"I'm not sure I completely agree," Jack said. "Ziggy's a pretty sharp artificial intelligence."

The Time Lord turned towards Jack, plainly offended. "This coming from a man who nearly caused the conversion of the entire world into gas mask zombies trying to find their mummy."

It was Jack's turn to clarify. "That's not what I meant. What I'm saying is that Ziggy's choice of explanation often is not right, but she can have some kernels of truth in her pronouncements."

"What part are you saying is true?" Al asked. "From our research, it's clear that some really bad stuff happens when the Doctor's around. He could be a magnet for that type of thing."

"I don't go looking for trouble," the Time Lord protested.

Jack agreed. "No. You don't. But you do seem to be in the right place to affect things when they are going terribly wrong."

The Doctor gaped at the people around him for a long moment. "Ever get the feeling that you are being ganged upon?"

Sam had listened to Jack's words and now his smile brightened. "I think I see where you're going, Jack. You're saying that GFTW may have put me here to help the Doctor with several things that he's being drawn to... or they to him."

"I'm not drawn to anything," the Doctor pointed out but it was obvious from the lack of response to his last two statements that no one was listening to him, especially when Jack replied to Sam.

"When you smile like that, it makes me sad I'm just a hologram." At Sam's dangerous look, Jack put his hand up. "Okay. Okay. Sorry. Just force of habit," he provided in truce. "But you're right. It may be taking time simply because there are things afoot and you both are needed to address them."

Al piped up. "And knowing GFTW, the main thing is... we just don't know how many things there may be that Sam's here to help with."

"Yeah, you can say that again." As soon as the words were out of Sam's mouth, a concerned look crossed his face as he saw Al was fading in and out again.

"You didn't fix your power problem?" the Gallifreyan questioned also noticing that Al and Jack were sputtering from view, almost like a bad TV connection. Then he realized it wasn't like it had been before. "Not power..." he surmised. "Something else."

Al looked down at the handlink. "Oh... this isn't good, Sam. You know how we were just talking about bad things happening..."

"Yeah?"

"If Ziggy's right, the Doctor's batting one hundred. Time is changing radically again. Worse than with Godzilla."

"Changing radically? Again? But... th... that's impossible!" the Doctor exclaimed.

Jack looked down at the handlink. "No, Doctor, it's not. There's a change that originates from the time you're currently in. If you don't change..."

"You're telling us that having mutton with Pharaoh is completely altering the timeline! Well, they had mutton; I just had an empty plate with a few bites here and there. Well, at least until the bananas. And they were _really _good bananas!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "There's another time wave encroaching on all of history and you're talking about bananas?"

"You had to be there," the Doctor told him. "As for the time wave you are insisting upon, it is, quite literally, impossible for us to have changed history as radically as you are saying. The most we did was change tomorrow's menu!"

Jack's eyes widened. "No... this is..."

Suddenly, the two holographic men blinked out of view.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Sam blinked, having seen the two men ceased to exist. He knew it was more than just a power problem and felt sick. "This isn't good. I've only seen something like this once before."

The Doctor stared at the blankness in front of him. "When was that?"

"When Al died in the gas chamber."

The Time Lord frowned in confusion. "Why would he have died in the gas chamber? What did he ever do? Mind you, he can be a bit annoying but he seems a nice enough person, especially since he likes English literature. Can't see him doing anything to warrant the death penalty."

Letting a breath of frustration out, Sam explained, "I changed what happened but it turned out to be the wrong change. Al was convicted of murder and executed in the gas chamber."

"See!" the Doctor stated emphatically. "That's exactly why you shouldn't be messing with time! One wrong move and 'poof,' everything changes!" He paused, suddenly realizing the ramifications of what Sam had said. "Wait. If Al died in the gas chamber, why is he here? Well... he was here but he isn't here now. Obviously, you must have altered history so that he didn't die in the gas chamber. Unless, of course, there was some sort of reverse temporal shift that caused the change you made to come undone which would explain how he... um... they just vanished from sight just now. Then again... that wouldn't explain why Jack vanished. I mean, you would think that someone else would be acting as your Project Observer if Albert wasn't here..."

Sam tried to follow the Doctor's constantly changing point of view and eventually physically waved it all away. "Don't you see? What they said before they vanished. A radical change emanating from this time."

"I heard," the Doctor told him abruptly. "And again, we didn't do anything! You ate mutton, Jarman had everything, and I ate bananas." He blinked. "We sound like the three bears. All we need now is for Goldilocks to go walking through the door."

"But that's the thing. It doesn't mean that we caused it, but it does mean we're in the right time to fix it. Al's right. You're batting one hundred." When the Doctor glared at him, he explained his theory quickly. "But that's a good thing! You're meant to be here! Like with Krazan. If you weren't here, all hell would break loose." He frowned. "But if this is like it was with Krazan and history is being changed by a time wave... why did Al and Jack disappear so fast? It didn't happen like that the last time. If we only knew what's causing the changes."

The Doctor seemed to relax slightly at the realization that, unlike Al, Jack and Sam had been referring to him as positive change agent. He considered Sam's words for a moment, deciding that they needed to take action. "Well, I think we should see what these radical changes are all about in order to answer that question." Heading into the TARDIS, he went to the console and punched in coordinates to send the time machine into the Vortex.

Sam followed and then looked over to the Doctor, sure based on the Time Lord's actions they were leaving this time and place. "Um... I know you think I'm thick sometimes, but really, do you think it's a good idea to leave, considering time is changing? And what about Jarman? Will he be okay?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine. He is, after all, an honored guest of Ptah-Hotep. And as to us leaving, time is always changing so it should have little effect," the Doctor replied, giving Sam a peculiar look. "You're a time traveling physicist. Surely, you know that. 'Back to the Future Part II,'" he told him, seemingly from out of nowhere. "Ever seen 'Back to the Future Part II?'"

"Ummm. Yeah. Michael J. Fox. 'Roads, we don't need roads.'"

The Doctor frowned for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. Anyway, old Biff Tannen steals the Sports Almanac from the Delorean while Doc Brown and Marty are away. Goes back in time and gives the book to his younger self, changing history. So when Doc and Marty go back to their own time, they find it completely different from the timeline they knew." He paused with realization. "Actually, that was a really bad example." He shrugged. "Anyway, we're just going to take a glimpse of the future. As long as we don't leave the TARDIS, everything should be fine."

"Why can't we leave the TARDIS?" Sam queried, again having trouble following the Doctor's verbal meanderings but getting the gist of his words.

"Because, unlike Doc Brown and Marty who walked around and interacted with everyone in the alternate timeline, the minute we step out of the TARDIS, we become part of the timeline and whatever future we see becomes permanent."

"O...kay..." Sam reasoned. "And if the change is as bad as Al and Jack said, the last thing we want to do is make it permanent."

"Exactly. Now, I'm landing us somewhere fairly unnoticeable. There are about half a dozen police boxes like this one still in existence in 2007, most of them having been converted into coffee shops" the Doctor explained. "So, we just materialize around a police box. No one should notice the difference and we'll be able to get a cappuccino while we're at it."

"You have that much precision control?" the physicist asked. He hadn't witnessed that ability since the start of the leap.

The Time Lord tilted his head back and forth slightly. "Well... most of the time. Well... sometimes. Well... it happens... occasionally... when she feels like it."

Sam blew out a breath. "Okay. Do your best. Coffee is optional."

"Always do," the Doctor commented just as the TARDIS shook slightly, indicating that they had landed. "Now... let's see why your computer got all nervous, eh?" Quickly going to the doors, he opened both and froze at the sight. "Well... London's changed, hasn't it?"

Sam looked out. There was nothing. Literally nothing that would indicate to anyone they were looking at London. "What happened?"

The Doctor checked the chronometer to verify that they hadn't materialized in the wrong time frame and blinked when he confirmed that it was indeed 21st century Earth. "This is wrong," he stated unnecessarily. "This is very, very wrong. We landed in the middle of London in the year 2007, close to Big Ben. This looks more like the 12th century further up river."

Before them was an encampment that was right out of the Middle Ages. The people they saw, in dress that could only be referred to as peasant-like, milled about from shack to shack, apparently eking out life as best as they could. They seemed completely at ease with their activities, as if they hadn't known any other way of living.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. He thought back to what Al had said. "Something in the time we were in changed things. I've had that happen before. I think we better go back."

"Yeah, but what changed?" the Doctor demanded, ignoring Sam's concerns. "Why is London like this?"

Looking at the people, the physicist shook his head. "I don't know. But, Doctor, you said that we'd fit in with other police boxes in London. There aren't any here. The people here have never seen a police box before, that's obvious. So why aren't they curious about us? I mean... we just appeared out of thin air. That's got to be... strange to them."

"Human beings have a remarkable capacity for self-deception," the Doctor told him without even a glance. He sniffed slightly. "If the chameleon circuit worked, the TARDIS would just disguise itself as a rock or a tree or something. But since the circuit doesn't work... well... I suppose the perception filter sort of helps it to be unnoticed."

"Oh," Sam responded. "So the TARDIS is in a sort of 'aura' like I am only I'm in the aura of a living being and the TARDIS is in the aura of some non-animate object."

"If the chameleon circuit worked, that would be true," the Doctor answered. "No, this is more like they can see us but the perception filter makes them not want to see us."

Even as he spoke, the sound of fanfare filled the air and people in the small community dropped to their knees and prostrated themselves. As they did so, a large shadow came over the whole of the Thames riverbank as a large shining silver ship filled the sky. The ship itself was adorned with hieroglyphics and painted in brilliant colors.

Sam read the hieroglyphics he could see. "'Behold your God. Ptah-Hotep, Pharaoh forever.'"

The Doctor frowned strongly. "It's as if Egyptian civilization never ended. Technology would have advanced beyond even your level if Egypt remained in power and the lower classes would be... well, you can see for yourself, can't you." He noted Sam reading the etchings. "'Pharaoh forever.' Impossible! No one lives forever. Not even me." He watched the ship land and the main doors open.

Stepping out first were guards. Sam's eyes widened as he recognized one of them. "Tom!" he breathed and started to leave the TARDIS, forgetting the Doctor's warning in his amazement at seeing his brother.

The Time Lord grabbed Sam's arm quickly, yanking him back before he could step over the threshold. "No, Sam! Stay here!" he ordered firmly. "The TARDIS is in a state of temporal grace. Nothing that is out there can affect us as long as we stay in here."

"But that's my brother!" Sam stated, taking a step towards the door again.

"He is not your brother!" the Doctor countered quickly. "Your brother is in a different timeline. This isn't your world. You step out there for even a second and this reality becomes your world," he reminded. "We're timeless in here. Out there..."

Sam stopped suddenly. "You're right," he voiced quietly, pulling himself away from the doorway.

They continued to look out of the open door and watched as a small boy approached the Pharaoh's hover ship. The youngster obviously got too close and Tom reacted. Sam almost shouted in horror when 'his brother' brought the club he was holding down on the child. The blow killed the boy instantly. The only thing that prevented Sam's outrage to be heard was the Doctor grabbing him in a hold and covering his mouth to muffle the sound. Sickened by the action of this world's Tom, Sam's eyes narrowed. As the Doctor removed his hand, Sam spit out, "You're right. That's not my brother."

The alien took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "You're probably out there too. Probably in the same service. Runs in the family, you know."

"I could never do that," Sam responded passionately.

"Apparently, according to your reaction, neither could your brother. Yet there he is. Different timeline, different rearing, different attitudes."

As they spoke, Ptah-Hotep, looking just as he had when they last saw him, stepped out in opulent dress, holding a scepter topped with a brilliantly glowing white stone, about the size of a American half-dollar coin. Behind him, the Doctor's prediction came true, or at least in part. A few feet behind the man they shared dinner with, was this timeline's Samuel Beckett. He carried the stylized tools of a scribe as if they were a badge of honor rather than the simple writing instruments of old. At the wave of Pharaoh's hand, he moved to another part of the deck and aimed a small device at a wall, a blue glow and a high pitched sound emanating from it which caused a sliding door in the wall to open. Behind it in crystal cocoons were two people, a man and a woman.

"They stole my sonic screwdriver!" the Doctor exclaimed indignantly, reaching into his pocket to verify the object in question was still in his pocket. Feeling it there, he wondered how he would lose his precious device.

"It's worse than that," Sam said blinking. When the Doctor looked confused, Sam pointed. "That's you."

The Time Lord frowned, following the leaper's finger to the crystal encased couple. He froze at the sight. "It can't be..."

"Why not? I'm apparently there just like you said. I wonder who the woman is, though?"

The Gallifreyan didn't answer immediately, shock still on his face. "No, I don't mean me being in stasis there. I mean, that's bad. That's really really bad. It's the woman that can't be."

"Why not? Who is she?"

The alien shook his head. "I have no idea. Never seen her before. But I do know one thing about her."

"And that is?"

There was a long pause. "She's a Time Lord," he finally said with a disbelieving tone.

The physicist blinked. "You said you were the last."

"I am. I should be anyway. I should have felt her ages ago but, somehow, I haven't until now and that just doesn't make sense."

"None of this makes sense," Sam pointed out. He watched as his doppelganger tripped a lever that caused the strange woman to be released. He said something to her and although her eyes showed hatred towards him, she stepped forward and bowed to the Pharaoh. Ptah-Hotep spoke briefly to the female Time Lord who'd been released. She scanned the crowd, clearly reluctant but obedient. For a moment, she appeared to look directly at the TARDIS before speaking. "Your queen requires twenty young maidens for her service. They will be brought to this place when the sun is above and no shadows are cast or the staff of Pharaoh will burn the land barren and the river will be made dry." As she spoke, Ptah-Hotep lifted his staff and an arc of energy sprung from it, causing a tree not far from them to explode in flames.

Blinking in amazement, Sam stammered. "That's impossible. Nothing could do that."

The Doctor took a deep breath, his features growing more somber with each passing moment. "It can, obviously. Even at this distance, I can feel its power... I know what it is. How did he get it?" Feeling Sam's frown, he clarified, "How it can be I'm still not sure but... it's a piece of the Eye of Harmony."

"The what?"

"The Eye of Harmony. It's... or at least it was... a stabilized condensed black hole." He exhaled loudly, murmuring, "Oh, this is far worse than I could possibly have imagined."

"Like I said, that's impossi..." Seeing the Doctor's face, he amended his words. "Okay, you've seen more of the universe than I have. I'll take your word for it that it's what you say." He looked back to the scene before him and his nose crinkled in disgust. He nodded his head toward his doppelganger and hissed out. "How could I serve... I mean... how could the me in this timeline serve..." He let out an angry huff. "It's just wrong."

The Gallifreyan sighed, leaning against the doorframe as if he couldn't stand on his own strength. "In this timeline, you've never known a world without Ptah-Hotep being your lord and master. He must be quite a tyrant for me to submit to servitude, as I imagine that is why I'm encased in an Osirian suspension module. Apparently, she is an unwilling servant as well, based on her ill-hidden attitude. I would imagine that your twin there is only doing what is in the best interest for his survival."

Sam's eyes burned at the injustice the Doctor spoke of. "I suppose that could explain this, but there's got to be a way to stop it." He avoided looking at his doppelganger and noticed that the female Time Lord once again had fixed her eyes on them. As he shifted his gaze away from hers he saw something else. "I think we may have found what Sekhmet's plan is," Sam stammered.

The Doctor, on the other hand, had followed Sam's gaze to the other Time Lord and was transfixed on her. He became concerned when, for a moment, it appeared as if the Pharaoh had followed her eyes and could also the TARDIS. A chill went down the Doctor's spine at the expression on the Egyptian's face, prompting the alien time traveler to quickly take a step back. The look of Pharaoh's expression was enough to send him into immediate action, closing the TARDIS door abruptly. "Time to go," he announced, hurrying to the console. Flicking a switch, he quickly sent the TARDIS into the Vortex once more.

Sam's stare was suddenly stopped when the Doctor closed the door. "What? Why?" He followed the Doctor to the large piston-like object in the center of the room. "Not that I really want to stay in this future. It's about as bad as the one that Alexander Hartdegen found when he encountered the Morlock's in his world's future." He looked back at the now closed door. "That has to be stopped."

"Get no argument from me there," the Doctor agreed, noting Sam's comparing the current situation to the fictional one in H.G. Well's "The Time Machine." "This is bad. This is very, very bad," the Time Lord stated firmly.

"Yeah, but you still haven't said why we left so quickly. You said that we couldn't be seen so what was the hurry? I swear, you looked like you were about to be sick or something."

"Oh, it was something all right," the Gallifreyan told him. "It was most definitely something." Seeing the confused look on Sam's face, he continued. "Ptah-Hotep almost saw us. If that had happened, we would have become part of the timeline and... well, I already told you that bit." He shivered slightly. "And that stone... you're right. It shouldn't be here. It's wrong."

"Wrong? What do you mean?"

The Doctor shook his head in confusion. "I don't know," he said, the words spoken as if new to him. "I should know this but..." He gazed outwards, his mind obviously inward as he tried to put meaning to the object.

"It'll come to you," Sam said, sure that eventually this Gallifreyan would solve the puzzle. "In the meantime... how could Ptah-Hotep nearly see us? What about that perception filter you were talking about?"

Grateful that his new companion would hold such faith that he'd figure out the mystery of the stone, the Time Lord decided that he couldn't waste time on that particular issue for the moment. Instead, he addressed the questions Sam had posed. "Now, those are very good questions. You have to be in tune with time itself in some way to be able to see through a perception filter. Either that or be very clever. Like you. You'd be able to see through a perception filter. Same with Albert, if his ability to see through psychic paper is any indication. But Ptah-Hotep doesn't give me the impression of being especially clever in that manner. Therefore, something else must be allowing him to see through the filter."

"I don't know. He seems to be rather perceptive. I mean, he was aware of the stories about you in their history and even called you on the style of your hair." Sam paused. "You don't seem the type to keep long hair, though."

"Exactly," came the answer. "It didn't take much to convince him that I merely cut it. I just sent him a mild telepathic message and he believed me without question. That's also how I was able to convince him of the truth that I'm his adopted uncle. Ergo... not very clever."

"You can do that?" Sam asked. "I thought you could only do that with the psychic paper."

"Well... psychic paper is a helpful tool and much easier to use, since sending a suggestion is extremely invasive. It's not something I prefer to do. Not a pleasant experience for me, you understand. But in my nephew's case, I seriously doubted that a bit of paper would convince him so I had to do something." He sniffed. "Tried it on you but you're just too clever."

"What?" Sam asked, taken aback. "You tried to send a suggestion to me? When? Why?"

"On Rextar Seven," the Doctor confessed. He sighed at the stunned expression on the physicist's face. "I wanted Rose back. I was worried about her. And I was still very suspicious of you then. After all, you just suddenly replaced my best friend without permission and without any kind of warning." He gave him a slight smile. "But, like I said, you're too clever. You probably dismissed the notion out of hand without ever realizing that it got sent your way in the first place. For a human, you have a remarkable ability to shield your mind from outside influence. A little more training and you'd be able to shield it from someone reading it as well."

Sam considered the Doctor's explanation. "I guess I could see why you would do that under the circumstances." He paused. "I doubt if I'll ever need it, but it would be interesting to learn how to shield myself from a mind reader."

"We'll consider the possibility later. Right now, we've got problems. As I said, if Ptah-Hotep is able to see, or at least sense, the presence of the TARDIS, something's changed in him. Something that has allowed him to gain enough power to actually take over the world and live for over three thousand five hundred years."

"Yeah, but what? I mean, I don't know that we know enough about this situation. We didn't see much that would provide us with even a clue as to how that would happen."

The Gallifreyan considered the same facts and had to admit there wasn't much to go on. As he went over everything that had occurred, he suddenly turned to Sam. "What were you babbling about?"

"I wasn't babbling."

"Yes, you were. It was when I noticed Ptah-Hotep scanning the area. I was going to say something but making sure that reality didn't become permanent for us seemed more important at the time," he finished, slightly sarcastic.

"Um. Yeah," Sam agreed. Realizing what the Time Lord was referring to his eyes widened. "Oh, yeah. I was going to tell you but we left so suddenly..."

"What is it, Samuel? What did you see?"

"I saw Sehkmet. In the entourage."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. The same as earlier today. At the procession. I'd swear it was her."

The Gallifreyan sighed, slumping in the jumpseat. "That explains everything. Everything but that black jewel on Ptah-Hotep's staff. Definitely explains how that time wave hit the future so quickly with the timeline being changed so abruptly as opposed to slowly like with Krazan."

"Osirian technology is that advanced?"

"It rivaled that of even the Time Lords and we were mistaken as gods too. It hadn't turn out very well, though. Still, can't have that kind of technology fall into the hands of a power-hungry ancient Egyptian Pharaoh." He paused. "We know how that will turn out."

"Well, we know it can't be the heart, right?"

The Doctor tilted his head back and forth a bit. "The only thing I know about the heart is from you and I doubt you are that familiar with Osirian technology. But if the crystal's only purpose was what you witnessed, then, no. There has to be something else. Something far more powerful. Something that would not only extend his life but would also give him the mental abilities of an Osirian."

Sam let out a sigh. "Yeah, but Jack and Al said it was something that happened after we arrived and, like you said, all we did is have dinner!"

"Bananas," the Doctor corrected automatically. He abruptly stiffened. "Oh," he whispered. The expression grew dark. "Oh!" His eyes widened suddenly. "Oh!" Almost immediately, his visage turned to disgust. "_Oh_!" His hand rubbed at his chest as if to ease an ache. "Oh, I feel so violated!"

Sam watched as the Doctor went through an entire range of emotions without really saying anything he could interpret. Until that last statement. "What?" he asked, totally confused by this turn of thought.

"They took my DNA!" the Time Lord answered, running a hand through his hair. "They got tons of DNA samples from all the food I bit into. No wonder they kept taking plates from me. They weren't trying to starve me; they wanted as many samples as they could get their hands on."

"Your DNA..." Sam started. Then the thought sunk in. "Oh. Your DNA. And you're a Time Lord that lives... a long, long time."

"Yeah," the Doctor murmured. "But even that wouldn't work normally. Getting the DNA of a Time Lord would be more of an act of desperation since Osirian DNA is more compatible with Human DNA than with Time Lord DNA. They would need a linking racial code between the two. Lucky for them... they found me."

"Why you?"

The Doctor swallowed tightly. "Well... I've a little human DNA."

"You're...human?" He corrected himself, "I mean, part human? Like Earth human?"

"Oi! I'm not human. I'm nowhere near to being human. Two hearts. Respiratory bypass system. Over 900 years old..." Seeing Sam raise an eyebrow at him, he sighed. "My mother was human. And yes, she was from Earth. My father altered my DNA before I was born so that I would actually survive the cross-species pregnancy. So, technically, I am as Time Lord as possible but there are some small strains of human DNA in me. Not enough to affect my biology but certainly enough to act as a bridge between Time Lord DNA and Osirian DNA."

Hearing the Gallifreyan express his denial of his human DNA while, in the same breath, embracing it caused Sam to feel that maybe there was something here to plumb. However, the dire situation they'd found themselves in during this journey to the past couldn't be put on the back burner. "Well... we'd better find some way to change things back to the way they were." He looked back at the door, even though he knew they'd left that scene far behind. "This is one time, we can't fail." Sam realized that since leaping into the aura of Rose Tyler, that statement had been true for every situation they'd faced. "Again."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The sound of grinding machinery filled the air in the guest suite of the palace of Pharaoh Ptah-Hotep II as a 1960s police box slowly materialized beside the luxurious settee that center-pieced the room. The door to the police box opened and a couple of figures stepped out.

Sam looked around the room. "This is different."

"Well, at least we landed in the right building," the Doctor commented. He pointed to the open door of one of the bedrooms. "And about the right time. There's the dress you were wearing when you first arrived. But you're right. It is different. It's morning for one..."

Sam shook his head. "No, the flowers. They're different." He walked around the room. "And the fruit in the basket... also not the same. There are more bananas." He paused for another beat. "Where's Jarman?"

The Doctor grinned widely at his words. "Aw, that's brilliant!" He took several long steps to the basket of fruit on the table and picked up a banana, peeling it like an eager child. "Love bananas! Great source of potassium!"

"So you said before," Sam said distracted. He continued looking around into each nook and cranny. "Jarman?" he called at each point. There was no answer. The Doctor had initially continued eating his banana but as it became clear that the boy was nowhere to be found, he put his favorite fruit aside.

"He has to be somewhere in the palace," he told Sam, though his eyes showed that he too was concerned about the young Egyptian. He carefully looked around the room, finally sensing the definite changes in the room and especially in time itself. "Something's wrong..." the Time Lord murmured under his breath.

Sam didn't hear the mutter and instead replied to the Gallifreyan's previous statement as he moved towards the doorway. "Yeah. He's got to be..." His words were halted when he pulled open the door, only to find a couple of palace guards at attention outside. "Oh. Hello."

One of the guards turned smartly towards the sound, ordering abruptly, "You will come with us." The words were said firmly and without leaving room for debate.

"We will?" the Doctor questioned. "Not exactly a proper way to address royalty now, is it?"

"You will come with us by order of Pharaoh."

"Pharaoh!" the Time Lord exclaimed. "Well, if my nephew wants to see me, why didn't you just ask nicely? We would have come." He turned to Sam. "Wouldn't we have, Dame Rose?"

"Of course," Sam agreed. He wasn't really very thrilled by the way the guards were looking at them and wondered what would have them so upset.

Before complying, the Time Lord asked, "You haven't seen my ward, Jarman, around, have you? Nice boy, about 16. Doesn't really have palace manners down yet..."

"You'll have to take that up with Pharaoh," the guard ground out.

"Right, then. Off we go. Allons-y!" With great strides, the Doctor took the lead, noting the various changes that they could see as they walked, as well as continuing the search for the illusive boy. "I think I might have been a little off in the return," he told Sam, noting the "fertility statue" had gained a layer of dust.

"Ya think?" Sam quipped. The guard gave the person they thought was Rose a glare. Sam shut up.

"Not by much, mind you," the Doctor proceeded as if Sam hadn't just been silenced. "Not in the grand scheme anyway. Only five or six... weeks. Two months at the most."

"I don't think they're seeing the grand scheme," the quantum physicist muttered, his voice kept low.

"That's the problem with you humans. You never do. Well... most of you don't."

"Yeah. I guess it's just our short lifespan. Like Jimmy Buffett says, 'Maybe 60 good years, it's really not that long a stay.'" The guard this time gave him a sharp nudge. "I don't think they like Jimmy."

"Don't like Jimmy?! But he's brilliant!" the Doctor exclaimed, receiving a nudge in return. "No respect for their elders, I see."

Sam nodded. He was getting a very bad feeling about this whole thing. "I hope Jarman's all right."

The Doctor silently agreed. He could still sense that the whole of time was starting down a completely different path... and he seriously doubted that the path was in Jarman's - or even their - favor. "I should have taken him with us," he rebuked himself.

Before Sam could answer, they were thrust into the main hall where they'd first met the man they knew now to be a megalomaniac. That same man wasn't happy at all to see them now.

"I see you have returned. Were my accommodations not to your liking?" the supreme ruler of the Egyptians sneered at them from his dais.

The Doctor beamed a huge smile towards Pharaoh. "Ah! Nephew! Good to see you!" he said. "I see you sent a welcome home party to fetch us. How lovely of you! Oh, and your accommodations are brilliant! Absolutely marvelous! Best suite I've ever been in!" His face dropped into one of great seriousness. "Only one question, though. Where are you hiding the great power of the gods?"

The Pharaoh looked at him with narrow eyes. "Only the Pharaoh and those priests that serve in the inner sanctum of Amun-Ra may know of those powers."

Sam spoke up. "The black obsidian statue of Amun-Ra in the temple has spoken to you?"

Ptah-Hotep's eyes grew wide with surprise but then shifted quickly to speak in anger. "How do you know of that, woman? This is blasphemous!"

Sam bowed low, hoping his subterfuge would work. "I am a seer. I know many things that are in the temple. Like you have a wondrous gem which holds the power of the gods."

"And I know what the great power of the gods really is: an Osirian suspension crystal," the Doctor warned, taking a step forward. "I can't allow you two to do what you're planning."

"You do know," Ptah-Hotep said in some wonder. He turned to the Doctor. "Did this 'seer' also tell you about my love?"

"I don't need a seer to know what creature you have hiding in the shadows. If you're in love with her as well... that's just... wrong. And I am telling you that this stops now."

"How do you propose to stop us, Uncle? With the power we wield, no man under Horus's disk or under Nuit's sky can stop us."

The Oncoming Storm looked up into Pharaoh's eyes. "I'm not under Horus' disk or Nuit's sky," he told him darkly. "Your grandfather knew me well. You should have listened to his stories about the mysterious stranger. You should have paid close attention to the hieroglyphics that told about _his _power."

"Ah, but I did. My love was quite interested in learning about you." He paused. "We were quite upset to find you and this woman had left us. Imagine our surprise when all we found was your... worthless slave. He is much more productive now that he's been sent to the salt mines."

The Doctor found himself halted, seething at the man before him for doing such a thing to a 16 year old boy and knowing that, if Jarman was working in the salt mines, other children his age were probably doing so as well. So strong was the fury coursing through his veins, he was literally unable to move or speak for a long moment, giving Sam a chance to react in his own way.

"You had no right..." the physicist started, his anger mounting along with the Doctor's.

"Silence! I have every right. I am Pharaoh. All the inhabitants of this land are mine to do with as I wish. I am a god and my love is the Goddess Sekhmet herself."

"Not for long," the Time Lord declared, taking a step forward. "I hereby officially challenge your right to the throne... nephew."

The Pharaoh reached into his robe. He pulled out two crystals and touched them together. Suddenly the room was filled with light and all the humans in the room except for Ptah- Hotep reached for their temples and fell to their knees in agony. "I warned you, Uncle," he said, fully expecting the man in front of him to be affected as well. His eyes grew dark when the Time Lord did not succumb. "One of the gods is protecting you."

The Doctor winced slightly at the effect but didn't move. If anything, he seemed far more determined. "Oh, you've made a very big mistake. You hurt my friends. But for the memory of Ahmose, I'm giving you one last warning. Surrender the throne and your power now."

"You think I am afraid of you?" He twisted the crystals another way. Suddenly, a female creature with the head of a lioness materialized in the room. At the same moment, the painful beam ended, leaving the human's in the room gasping from the abrupt release while still on their knees.

"You summoned me, my consort?" the lioness questioned.

"Sekhmet, here is one that does not heed the powers of the Crystals," Ptah-Hotep informed her.

She looked at the only man still standing in the room, obviously considering the Doctor carefully.

Sam opened his eyes and gazed up at what appeared to be one of the Egyptian goddesses. "Sekhmet, the Lady of Flame. All that time, reading the texts and thinking you were just a story..." he breathed. Despite having seen her before during the procession, he still felt a bit of awe that what he first considered a myth was a reality. However, now as he gazed at her, the nightmare of the future became frighteningly real to him. "This isn't your planet. You should leave."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed with Sam's brave ultimatum. He looked at Sekhmet with a tilt of his head. "He's got a point, you know. This isn't your planet. Then again, you can't go home, can you? Which is why you are here in the first place. Taking second place when you can't have first." While he could feel his hearts beating a little faster with trepidation upon seeing the Osirian, he wouldn't allow his emotions to show on his face, keeping an air of confidence. His eyes narrowed. "You will not harm this world."

"Do not mock me, Time Lord. I am more than a match for your kind. Deadly some have called me. I suggest you should be the one to leave this time and planet and return to your home world. I have claimed greatness for my beloved. You will not stop us," the Osirian female warned.

"We won't?" the Doctor questioned. "Well... that is yet to be seen." He paused again. "Your tricks may impress those who do not know what is behind them, but my friend and I understand that's all they are. Simple parlor tricks. An Osirian child would find them laughable."

"Continue to think that way, Time Lord. With the crystals, we have great power." She purred to Ptah-Hotep. "Do not fear, my husband. He is a minor annoyance only."

"Husband?!" the Gallifreyan exclaimed. "You have been in a canopic jar for too long if you're taking a human for a mate! Does explain that face of yours, though. You must cough up some horrendous fur balls."

"You shall not speak of my wife that way!" Ptah Hotep exclaimed. "She is as beautiful as Isis. Her eyes shine like the diamonds on Nuit's gown and her skin is as soft as Nile silt which feeds the two kingdoms."

The Egyptian humans serving the Pharaoh had long since taken poses of submission before the sight of Sekhmet, seeing her as one of their gods. Sam, however, now stood up to stand beside the Doctor. "This is an Osirian?"

"Oh, yes. That's how she is now, anyway. Has been for several hundred years or so." The Doctor started pacing back and forth. "I mean, all you Osirians chose a more acceptable form when you first came to Earth. Well... acceptable to the early Egyptians looking for someone to worship. Just like Sutekh picked that nasty jackal/anteater thing. Oh, I remember him. All full of himself... all talk about how he was going to make me his 'plaything'." He stopped and gave her a firm look. "But I took care of him easily enough."

"You wish me to believe that Sutekh is gone?" she asked derisively. "But even if that were true, it does not matter. We will rule this planet until he arrives." She looked at Sam, curious. "A strange creature you bring before me, Time Lord. A man in woman's skin. Where in the universe did you find such an oddity?"

"She can see me," Sam said. "I just can't decide if the reason she can is because she's a cat or she's insane."

"Well, she might be insane... but she's not a cat," the Doctor told him. "Osirians had advanced mental capabilities. So, a temporal aura wouldn't fool you, would it?" he directed to the alien with the image of a lioness.

"I am not insane!" she hissed. Then looking at Sam again, she considered. "Temporal aura? Interesting. I think I shall make it my slave."

The Doctor took a step in front of Sam. "You want at the human race, you'll have to go through me first."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Sekhmet laughed. "You are no match for me." She pulled the sun disc from her headdress and turned it so that the circle faced the Doctor. Using her mental skills, she used the disc to amplify her thoughts and attacked his mind. "Your body will not be burned, Time Lord, as is your people's custom. Rather, your mummified head will warn others of your kind to stay away."

The Doctor screamed in agony, dropping to his knees as he clutched his head. He hadn't believed that there could be a mental attack worse than what Sutekh had inflicted, but this was much stronger. He was finding it nearly impossible to even move. Gasping a deep breath, he forced himself to focus his mind long enough to reach into his pocket. Fingers fumbling, he pulled out the sonic screwdriver. The pain of the mental attack, however, was becoming harder to fight against. His hand shook, causing the cylindrical silver instrument to drop to the floor.

"S...Sam," he gasped. "S...sonic..."

Sam watched as the female creature attacked the Doctor, unsure of what he could do against such power. Writhing in agony, the last of the Time Lords gave him a clue and he took it gratefully. Reaching to the floor where the Doctor had dropped the sonic screwdriver, he grabbed it. While he was unsure exactly how to use it, he'd watched the Doctor wield it and hoped he could do the same. Aiming it at the disk, he located and pressed the button.

The disk shattered into a thousand pieces and the cat-woman screamed, falling backwards. "How?!" she yelled. She quickly pulled herself together and with eyes blazing, she looked directly into Sam's eyes.

He felt his soul being captured by her. His mind tried to protect itself as she pulled it towards her control. "No," he whimpered. "No... don't do..." and then he was silent.

With the mental attack suddenly and abruptly stopped, the Doctor staggered back to his feet. "_No_!" he shouted, seeing Sekhmet's eyes on Sam, immediately realizing what she intended. Before he could do anything, he watched as Sam's eyes glazed over. Quickly, with what little energy he had, he stood in front of Sam, blocking the cat-woman's line of sight.

"You think that can stop me?" she laughed. She had used her powers to take the mind of the man in the woman's aura fully hers. "Your planet will be easy to control, beloved."

"Sam... Sam, listen to me!" the Doctor beseeched. Getting no response, he turned towards the false goddess. "Leave this planet alone!" he demanded.

"The planet is mine," she gloated. She closed her eyes. "The little she-man will take care of you."

Sam, unable to control his actions, turned the sonic screwdriver in the Doctor's direction. "Please, stop me..." he ground out, trying to regain hold over himself.

Seeing Sam moving towards him, the sonic screwdriver raised, the Doctor took a step towards him. "You don't want to hurt me, Sam. Let me near and I can help you."

A tear leaked from Sam's eye. "Too strong. Can't..."

The Gallifreyan knew that he had to move quickly to avoid injury, seeing that the sonic was set to a powerful frequency, one that could easily incapacitate him. He rushed the physicist to get past the device, reaching out to grab him. Putting his hands to the sides of the leaper's head, the Time Lot sent a telepathic message to his friend's subconscious, putting him instantly to sleep. He barely caught Sam as he fell, allowing the Time Lord the chance to lower him gently before retrieving the sonic and turning towards Sekhmet.

"You want a world, I'll give you one!" the Doctor told her vehemently. "I'll give you Gallifrey! Just leave this planet and these humans alone!"

"You would give me the home world of the Time Lords? That is a prize of great value. This planet isn't worth so high a price."

"It is to me!" he exclaimed, taking a step towards her. "The humans took me in when the Time Lords exiled me. My people treated me like a criminal! They even took one of my lives as a punishment! Why should I care what happens to Gallifrey?"

Ptah-Hotep, seeing the battle taking place, decided to follow his wife's instructions should there ever be a threat. They had built a sarcophagus to hold his body in stasis. It appeared to be pure gold but it was an Osirian alloy. Holding the crystal in his hands, he would be safe until she joined him. He snuck away as the two aliens fought for who would control his world. He would seek out the priests to prepare him.

"You would seek vengeance, Time Lord?" Sekhmet asked with a sneer.

"Don't call me Time Lord!" the Doctor yelled at her. "I am the Doctor! I no longer consider myself an inhabitant of Gallifrey."

"Ah! Gallifrey. Mine to rule. What a delightful thought! But how would I get there?"

"My TARDIS," he told her. "I'll take you there myself."

"The blue box?" She saw her husband leaving the room and knew he was safe. The game had changed. With Gallifrey and all it entailed being hers to command, she and Ptah-Hotep would rule far more than the small planet. They would be invincible. "Oh, yes, Doctor. I accept your terms."

The Time Lord bowed slightly. "In that case, your majesty... Goddess of Gallifrey... come with me." He gestured towards the corridors, indicating the way to the TARDIS.

As she followed, her lips curled. This Doctor was indeed a fool. Once she had Gallifrey, it would be easy to come and find her husband in his stasis field and bring him to life. They would then take their rightful place as rulers of the universe. She enjoyed the title he'd given her. Goddess of Gallifrey. The thought of the Time Lords singing it delighted her. As they walked, she asked, "Tell me, Doctor. Why were you exiled by your people?"

"I refused to obey the rules," the Doctor admitted. "I consorted with lesser species, interfered in the affairs of other worlds... generally made a nuisance of myself. Well, in their view."

"Ah, so we take a similar path. If I was not so taken with my husband, I think we would be compatible."

The Doctor huffed slightly. "Never thought an Osirian would be taken with a human. Your biology isn't an exact match. Planning on having any children?"

"We have not decided. We will live thousands of years and will rule together. While our biology is mostly compatible, there would be challenges to successful procreation."

"Well, what about when you actually do die?" he countered. "I mean, I know you will live for thousands of years, especially since you stole my DNA for the sole purpose of altering Ptah-Hotep's DNA. Am I right? Make it so that he ages that much slower by combining my DNA with yours and infusing it with his? But eventually you'll both die. What happens to your great empire then? You're definitely going to have to do some genetic manipulation to ensure that any offspring that you do have won't turn up with fifteen toes or something. Mind you, I could take care of that but..."

"That is something I hadn't considered." She was thoughtful. "Would you like to join us as first Vizier? I believe your insights and your knowledge as a geneticist would be most helpful."

The Time Lord paused just outside of the guest suite as Sekhmet made the offer. He seemed to consider it for a long moment. "The freedom to move about the universe against the power of a Vizier of the Goddess of Gallifrey... power over my own people..." He looked at her for a moment and then gave a little smile. "I just might take you up on that offer, your goddesship."

"You would be an honored advisor."

The Doctor's smile widened just a sliver as he opened the door to the suite and led the cat-woman in. "There it is," he announced, nodding his head towards the police box in the middle of the room. "I'm afraid the chameleon circuit hasn't worked in centuries. Been stuck like that since I landed in the 1960s. But she's still a fine ship, if a bit old."

"I look forward to sailing on the Vortex."

Reaching into his pocket, the Doctor pulled out the key to the TARDIS and unlocked the door, walking in first at the Osirian's insistence. Going to the console, he started inputting the necessary coordinates.

"When we get close to Gallifrey, I'll have to get authorization from Gallifreyan Space Traffic Control to enter Gallifreyan space and then authorization to land so that they will drop the transduction barrier. Wouldn't want to go crashing into that. Besides, I don't think the ol' girl could handle the pressure."

Sekhmet laughed almost pleasantly. "Who would have thought when I broke away from the Osirian court that I would become more powerful than any of them, Osiris included?"

"Who indeed," the Doctor agreed. "So, you ready?" Seeing the look of eagerness on her face, he grinned. "Here we go." With a wheezing turn of ancient gears, the Type 40 TT time capsule dematerialized.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Ptah-Hotep rushed into the temple, calling the priests to fulfill the plan he and Sekhmet had developed. The priests hadn't been happy about their expected duties in this instance, but as they owed their fealty to Pharaoh and the Goddess, they had agreed. It had been explained to them that their king was not to be mummified, but he was to be anointed from head to foot with a special holy oil and to be wrapped. Once that had been completed, the diamond he gave them would be placed in between two spring-loaded arms above his chest. The tomb that had been created for his predecessor, many leagues into the desert, would be his resting place. He was to be put into the gold sarcophagus that Sekhmet had provided them. She had also indicated that the room from which her consort would enter eternity must be hidden from any possible grave robbers. Indeed, if the diamond was removed from her beloved's hands, it was to trap any robber inside.

The head priest had been confused by the orders. "How will you live, sire? Your life force is still strong. It would be wrong to put you in your final home alive," he questioned. He had been assured that Sekhmet herself would watch over him.

Now that the king had arrived, the misgivings of the priests were again engaged.

"You need not fear," Ptah-Hotep told him haughtily. "I've told you. The great goddess Sekhmet will protect me on my journey. Your duty is to follow my orders exactly." His eyes grew dark. "My beloved will bare her lioness' teeth to any who go against her wishes."

The head priest quickly acquiesced. "No. That will not be necessary. We will do her will with joy." He paused, looking rather nervous. "But... who shall rule the two lands?" he asked. "Sekhmet has not produced your heir."

"She is a Goddess. Do you think that she must act as most queens do? Bearing children? If we need an heir, she will create one to rule justly. However, you have a point that I will not be able to hold the reins of power while I am in the land of Anubis." He shrugged, thinking that it wouldn't matter for long since Sekhmet would take care of his annoying and irreverent uncle. "Thutmose will be king," he replied haphazardly. "Send a message to the court that I have gone on the great journey. He can see to the welfare of Egypt until I return."

The High Priest bowed at the Pharaoh's command, knowing that no Pharaoh had found a way to return from their new home with Amun-Ra and the others. "It shall be done, magnificent one. The tomb awaits you as you have ordered."

Over the next few hours, his body was prepared, a dark salve, which Sekhmet had told Ptah-Hotep to have the priest to apply to his body, slathered on. It made his skin appear black, but when the stasis field was turned off, the salve would moisturize his body, allowing him to revive. In the meantime, a priest was dispatched to the palace to let Thutmose know that he was now Pharaoh. Wrapped in the claustrophobic shroud and laying in the Osirian stasis chamber - the solid gold sarcophagus - Ptah-Hotep entered his sleep, awaiting his return to the land of the living and to his beloved goddess and wife.

DWQLTWDWQLTW

The throne room had been thrown into pandemonium by the strange actions of the Pharaoh's uncle and the goddess Sekhmet. Ptah-Hotep had apparently left during the battle between the two which had not been witnessed by most of the inhabitants of the room. The Egyptians had continued to stay in a pose of submission to the goddess, afraid to look upon her wrath lest they themselves find her fury aimed at them. Only one continued standing, watching as the battle took place: Thutmose. He knew that, as a royal prince, the gods and goddesses would not mind his silent sentry. He was surprised when his cousin Abubakar Nuru, who had disappeared for one and a half moons with his female companion, had returned under a cloud of suspicion. It had bothered him greatly when both Pharaoh and Sekhmet were so angry with Abubakar Nuru. He was dismayed when the beautiful Rose was forced to attack her companion. He could tell it was with desperation and compassion that his cousin grabbed her face before gently lowering her to the floor. Finally, he was confused not only by Abubakar Nuru referring to himself as "the Doctor" but also by the name the goddess called his cousin: Time Lord. It was a strange title. Soon, Abubakar Nuru left with Sekhmet, the goddess having agreed to this "Doctor's" terms. He was surprised to hear the odd unearthly grinding sound in the distance. It was the same sound as when his cousin and the woman on the floor before him had both left and returned from wherever they had been for so long. He assumed this meant the goddess had left with his cousin again.

Unseen by the inhabitants of the throne room, an odd rectangle of light suddenly appeared, allowing an unusually clad man to enter into the throne room. Al looked around with a frown, wondering what exactly was going on. Seeing the prone form of Sam in the middle of the room, he hurried over to the leaper's side. "Sam! Sam, wake up! Please, wake up!" he pleaded, hoping his friend was well.

Sam didn't move.

Thutmose moved towards the fallen woman, bending down and pulling her up into his arms. She was different than the other women he'd seen. This one had skin of alabaster and full lips. "Awaken, beautiful one. The goddess is gone and cannot hurt you again."

Al looked over to the man holding Sam. He was surprised that he couldn't understand him. He'd been able to understand just fine when the Doctor was around. He noticed that the alien was nowhere to be seen. "I don't like this." He looked around quickly. "Where's the Doctor? Sam? Sam, you've got to hear me! Sam!"

Sam's eyes fluttered open. "Al?" He looked up, finding himself in the arms of a man. He pulled away suddenly. "Um... what happened? Where is the... the Doctor?"

"That's what I just asked," Al replied with slight exasperation.

Thutmose felt the woman pull back slightly. Based on what she'd been through, he couldn't blame her for that. He told her know everything was all right, that the Goddess and his cousin has left.

Sam looked at Thutmose strangely, hearing every word in ancient Egyptian. He looked around and saw that the Doctor was nowhere to be seen. Realizing the TARDIS wasn't translating, he answered in the native language, asking who the man was.

Thutmose smiled at the woman's strange choice of words and spoke gently. "I am Thutmose. The Goddess and my cousin have left. He said she would rule a land called Gallifrey."

"Gallifrey?" Sam asked. He turned to Al. "That's not an Egyptian word. Or at least not one I remember."

"Then, what the hell is Gallifrey?" Al questioned. He turned his head slightly, listening to the answer Ziggy gave him, obviously having received it from Jack. "What?! Sam, according to Jack, Gallifrey is where the Doctor is from." He looked up at the ceiling in frustration. "I thought you said he's an alien, not from Ireland! What?!" He turned to Sam, his eyes wide. "Gallifrey is the home planet of the Time Lords!" He blinked for a moment as he heard another piece of information. "'Was?' What do you mean 'was'?"

Sam was more focused on the fact that Gallifrey was a different planet than the tense of verb being used to describe it. "What? The Doctor's left?" he answered in English. "He's left me here?" He started to pull himself up but the sudden movement left him light-headed. "Ohhh... boy..." he groaned.

Thutmose put his hand out to brush the hair away from Sam's face gently. He was confused by the words she spoke intermittently. "Move easily, Lady Rose. All is well and I will keep you under my protection until my cousin returns."

"Your cousin?" Sam asked in Thutmose's tongue.

He smiled. "Yes. My grandfather and Ptah-Hotep's grandfather were brothers. When my grandfather died without a son, his brother became Pharaoh."

Sam's face brightened, suddenly putting two and two together. "You're Thutmose!" He smiled broadly. "I can't believe I'm here with you now! One of the greatest..."

Al warned Sam, "I don't know what you're saying, Sam... but based on the way he's looking, it can't be good."

"Um... yeah. Sorry. It's just that being here with Thutmose... it's like being in a dream."

Thutmose's smile twisted slightly into one of interest. "You speak in a strange way, Lady Rose. Is this the way those in your land speak? It is as if you put me under a spell of your beauty."

Al was concerned about what he saw on the handlink and was about to tell Sam the news when he heard the inflection of Thutmose's voice. He didn't know what the guy was saying but it didn't take a linguist to know what was on his mind... or at least it shouldn't anyway. "I'd tone down the excitement, Sam. Whatever you're saying has Thutmose extremely interested in the aura surrounding you." His attention was immediately drawn back to the handlink when it squealed. "Oh, Sam... this isn't good. This is not good!" he emphasized. "Ziggy's going absolutely ballistic! Says that she isn't sure you can even leap out of Rose Tyler with you being this far back in the past. If the Doctor doesn't come back... you may be... stuck here."

Seeing the truth in Al's words concerning the future Pharaoh, Sam crossed his arms over his chest to hide the assets Thutmose undoubtedly saw. "Um... yeah." He laughed weakly at Thutmose's words. "I'm sorry, Lord. I don't know what came over me..." Suddenly as he heard what Al was now saying, his head turned towards his friend and he again changed his language to English. "Stuck? In the 18th dynasty of Ancient Egypt? I always thought this time was really cool, but I never thought I'd actually have to live in it." Another realization struck him. "You're back! That means he's fixed it."

"Fixed what? Sam, what the hell is going on here?!"

"Time. He must have left me here because he had to do something to put history back on course." Sam shook his head. "It was awful, Al. Humans enslaved, horrors committed. If I have to stay here to prevent that, then it's worth the cost."

"You speak to someone not seen, Lady Rose," Thutmose said with concern. "Perhaps my cousin's touch has affected you. You should rest."

Al sighed, growing increasingly frustrated by the language barrier. "Could you please tell me what in blazes in going on around here?"

At that moment, a priest rushed into the room. He bowed low before Thutmose. "Oh, great one. Your cousin, Ptah-Hotep is dead. He has said you shall wear the two crowns."

Thutmose blinked. "Dead? What happened?"

"I do not know. The High Priest sent me to tell the news. Ptah-Hotep's body is undergoing the ritual."

Al frowned slightly, looking first at the priest, then at the new Pharaoh, then at Sam. "Sam... what's he saying about Ptah-Hotep?"

"He's saying he's dead and Thutmose is Pharoah."

"But... if Ptah-Hotep is dead, does that mean that... you know... in about thirty-five hundred years, we have an oober creepy crawly mummy, in the middle of the Egyptian desert, killing off people?" Al questioned, obviously weirded out by the memory of the leap.

Sam looked at his friend. "Yeah, it explains what we saw, Al."

"Explains what? How does Ptah-Hotep being mummified explain him coming back from the dead?! What the _hell _is going on here?!" he shouted.

Realizing that the Lady Rose must be speaking in a mystical language with spirits, Thutmose quickly spoke up. "You told my cousin Ptah-Hotep that you were a seer. What do you see for my reign?"

Sam was about to say something to Al but stopped at Thutmose's question. "Um... your reign." He tried to think of what to say and stalled for time. Putting his fingers to his eyes, he stated, "Let me read the wind."

Thutmose allowed Sam a long moment before his curiosity got the better of him and he needed to speak. "Please, tell me, Lady Rose," he beseeched.

"Hello? Earth to Sam," Al put in. "Please... just tell me what's going on? Last I remember, that weird alien had me bring Jack into the Imaging Chamber and there was talk of something seriously bad happening with history." He blinked a couple of times. "At least I think that's what happened." He started pacing. "Now that I think about it..."

Sam looked from one man to the other. To Al, he said, "I'll explain everything."

Thutmose, figuring she was asking the spirit again, asked once more, "What do you see?"

Turning to Thutmose, Sam took a deep breath. He figured a generic answer would suffice. "You will do great things for Egypt. Your name will live forever."

Thutmose smiled and nodded gravely. He'd been given predictions from seers before and hers sounded similar to those portents. "Thank you. You shall be my honored counselor."

Sam, relieved that his words had been taken well, smiled. He figured if he was going to have to stay around here for awhile, honored counselor might not be a bad gig. Of course, he'd have to discourage the Pharaoh's other thoughts. But that could wait until later. He needed to talk to Al now. "I am honored, sire. I tire now. I need to return to my chambers."

Al rolled his eyes with impatience. "Hurry up, will ya? I'm not as young as I look, you know."

Thutmose smiled. "Then refresh yourself with rest. We will talk later." He turned to look at the priest who had pulled away to give the new Pharaoh his moment of privacy with the strange woman. "The two lands must know Pharaoh is watching over them." As Sam turned to leave, the new Pharaoh took to the business of state.

Sam whispered to Al, "I think it would be better to talk to you back in the room. That way they won't think I'm fully crazy."

Al shrugged consent to Sam's words, watching as the latter bowed deeply before the Egyptian man and exited the room. Following, he looked around, still completely lost but remaining quiet until the two of them were away from prying eyes and ears. Once in the room, however, there was no stopping the Italian's quick succession of questions. "Sam, what's going on here? Where's the Doctor? Where's Ptah-Hotep? Who was that guy? What's this talk about a goddess?"

"Okay, okay, Al. Give me a minute here." He took a deep breath. "Right after you and Jack came into the Imaging Chamber Ziggy started giving you predictions that something dire was about to happen. Then, Captain Harkness said we had to fix something, but he never said what."

"Wait a minute... you're saying that Ziggy _did _say something dire would happen?" Al asked. "I wasn't just imagining that?"

"Yeah, she did, right before the two of you popped out of existence. That's why you don't remember it too well."

"W... We what?"

"You heard me. You went poof. Just like you did that time I was you. Only thing is, no one replaced you or the Captain."

Al looked at Sam with a hint of concern. "Okay," he stated, elongating the word unnecessarily. "So, where's the Doctor?"

"Oh, it gets worse, Al."

"Of course, it does," the Admiral commented, shaking his head slightly.

"The Doctor decided we should head forward in time to when we started and, when we landed in London... it wasn't there. A few shacks and peasants but everything else was gone. While we were there, we saw this ship floating in the air. It was Egyptian and Ptah-Hotep was still alive. He'd enslaved the world. The entire world." Recalling his own family's role, he added, "It was a total nightmare. We had to make sure that never happened, so we came back."

"Wait a minute, Sam," Al interrupted. "How can Ptah-Hotep be alive when... or was he... a mummy?"

"That's just it. He wasn't then and he wasn't when we saw him in the tomb."

"What do you mean he wasn't a mummy?!" Al exclaimed. "I saw him! He was all grey and wrinkly." He shivered slightly at the memory of watching Ptah-Hotep killing Dr. Razul.

"Al, he'd woken from a three thousand five hundred year state of suspended animation. He just hadn't fully woken up."

"So, he was a frozen Pharaoh from Ancient Egypt."

"Well, not exactly, but sort of," Sam agreed. He went over and pulled a banana out of the fruit basket. "Anyway... that's why we came back. When we did, the Doctor overshot the time by about six weeks. Ptah-Hotep wasn't very thrilled with us coming back late. Then she appeared."

"Who?" Al questioned, getting a bit exasperated by the lack of clarity in Sam's explanation.

"The goddess, Sekhmet. Has the head of a cat. She really does. The Egyptian gods and goddesses were Osirian and thus, they go around with animal heads." He took a bite of the banana. After swallowing, he continued. "So, she tried to take over my mind so I would kill the Doctor, but instead he made me pass out. When I woke up, we learned Ptah-Hotep is supposedly dead and the goddess and the Doctor are gone. Best thing is, you're back so everything should be back to normal." His face blanched and he looked at Al. "Everything is back to normal, right? Check with Ziggy. Is everything the way it should be?"

"Sam, right now the only thing I see abnormal is you," Al told him bluntly. "Seriously, cat goddesses trying to take over your mind?"

Relieved at his answer, Sam then narrowed his eyes. "What? You don't believe me? Would I lie about something like this? I mean really. Even I couldn't make this stuff up."

"I'm not saying that you would lie," the Italian contradicted quickly. "I'm just saying that... well... are you sure you weren't drugged or something? Like maybe the Doctor slipped you a mickey and then went vamoose, leaving you here to hold the bag, so to speak?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "He did come all the way back to the 18th Dynasty to pick up that silphium stuff..."

Sam let out a breath. "That was just because the silphium was needed for the antidote, Al." He started to pace. "Whatever he did has fixed the future. The horror we saw won't happen now."

"What did you see? I mean, other than a funky Egyptian spaceship."

"I saw what my family would be like," Sam answered uncomfortably.

Al frowned at his words. "And?" he pressed after it was obvious that Sam wasn't going to volunteer the information.

Very disturbed by the memory, Sam paced faster. "I saw Tom kill a child in cold blood and I was helping Ptah-Hotep by... being his loyal servant. I was obviously 'okay' with the brutality..." He looked out the window, still upset by the thought.

The Observer's eyes softened when he saw the obvious emotional pain on his friend's face. "Sorry," he told him, his mind still whirling with everything that Sam had told him. Clearing his throat, he decided that a change of subject was in order. "So where _is _the Doctor?"

Gratefully pulling himself out of his thoughts, Sam turned to Al. "I don't know. If what the new Pharaoh says is true, they've gone to Gallifrey."

"Which according to Jack is the home world of the Time Lords."

"Yeah. He must have taken Sekhmet there to stop her. I don't know if he'll be back or not." He saw Al's face. "I mean, I'm sure he will if he can but I don't know what he would have had to do to keep that future from happening."

"Sam..." Al started again. "Jack just told me that Gallifrey was destroyed in a war. How can the Doctor be taking this Sekhmet to a world that doesn't even exist?"

"Destroyed? Well, that explains a lot," Sam commented but didn't explain. He continued to answer Al's question. "I don't know. That makes me wonder even more if he'll be able to come back. I might just be stuck here."

Al raised the handlink to look at the odds of that. "Unfortunately... Ziggy agrees. She says that, with you being outside of yours and Rose Tyler's lifetime, the chances of you leaping out of her are..." He frowned at the figure he read. "125,917 to one."

Sam whistled. "That bad of odds, huh?" He gave Al a half smile. "Let Rose know I'm sorry. I'm sure the Doctor will come back for me if he can. She has to know how far he'll go to make sure that things are right."

"And if he doesn't come back?" Al questioned quietly.

Sam sighed. "Then I guess it's a good thing I can read, write, and speak ancient Egyptian."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The TARDIS flew through the time vortex at a steady pace towards its destination. Sekhmet had remained patient only with the promise from the Doctor that they would arrive at Gallifrey before the end of their third day in the vortex, during which time the Gallifreyan changed into his beloved brown pinstripe suit and trainers. Now that the moment of their arrival was at hand, her patience was coming to an end.

"So, how long is this going to take? I have the feeling you are trying to trick me."

"We're traveling across the whole of the Mutter's Spiral!" the Doctor told her with emphasis. "It's not like we're hopping from London to San Francisco. We should be there any minute."

"We'd better," she said with a huff. Even as she gave the huff, the TARDIS shook with a loud thump and the rotor on the console stopped its repetitive up and down motion.

"And here we are," the Doctor told her, walking around the console towards the main doors. "Your new domain." He gestured towards the doors, inviting her to open them.

Sekhmet glared at the Doctor with suspicion before going to the doors and opening them. Her attention remaining on the Gallifreyan, she stepped out of the TARDIS, not looking further than her immediate surroundings. However, once out of the blue box, she raised her head and gazed at the scene before her. While the planet wasn't a paradise, neither was it a barren dead world. The harsh trinity of suns beat down upon the two of them, making it necessary to squint. There were hills a short distance away, indicating caves and other rock formations. A few miles in the other direction, there seemed to be a small river. "This is not Gallifrey," she said with a hiss.

"No, it isn't," the Doctor told her, following her out of the TARDIS.

"You told me I would be Goddess of Gallifrey if I gave up Earth." She'd had no intention of fully giving up Earth. She was simply planning on wrapping Gallifrey into the mix.

The Doctor leaned against the TARDIS, giving her a hard glare. "I lied. I knew you weren't about to give up Earth for even the chance to rule over all of time and space."

"You lied to me?" she asked it as if she couldn't conceive that anyone would think to do that, much less actually succeed at it.

"What? You think a Time Lord can't lie?"

"No."

"I'm not Mr. Spock!" he exclaimed. He grimaced slightly. "Even though I have been called that before. Twice now. Or is it three times."

"So you never intended to take me to Gallifrey at all?"

"Nope," he answered, emphasizing the "p" in the word. His eyes grew somber as he lowered his head slightly. "You really wouldn't want to be there anyway."

"And why, pray tell, would you say that? Everyone knows that Gallifrey is a jewel."

The Doctor pushed himself off of the TARDIS, his expression hard and mysterious. "It burned. Nothing but rocks and dust now."

Her eyes opened wider. "Your planet was destroyed?"

The Doctor didn't answer the question, instead taking a deep breath and looking into Sekhmet's eyes. "Admittedly, this place isn't the most hospitable environment but as long as you stay out of the suns when they're at their apexes, you can make a life here," he told her. "It's all that I can offer you. I won't allow you to rule as a goddess over any planet but this."

"Why this planet?"

"Well, it's habitable. Plenty of air, plant-life... even indigenous animal life. But the solar flares from the suns cause havoc with telekinetic and telepathic abilities, making you, in essence, powerless."

"You would leave me here with no companion, alone and powerless? How cruel you are."

The Doctor gave her a dark glare. "I am being so merciful with you, Sekhmet. It was very tempting to take you to Gallifrey and leave you there in the rocks and dust. At least here, you will be able to live out the rest of your life."

A small mew left her lips as a tear fell from her eyes. "The rest of my life alone? It would have been a kindness to die."

The Gallifreyan watched the Osirian for a moment before exhaling slowly. "I suppose... maybe one companion." Seeing the look on her face, his own expression softened. "We're both the last of our kind. I know what it's like to be alone. I can't do that to you."

Sekhmet let out a depressed sigh. "A companion of your choosing, I'm sure, but at least time spent with one's jailer is preferable to time spent alone," she said, her voice a monotone. "For that, I thank you."

The Doctor tucked his hands into his trouser pockets. "I was actually thinking of a mate," he corrected her. "Someone to share a life with. Of course, that's if he's willing."

Her ears perked up and her eyes grew hopeful. "My beloved? You would bring him here for us to be together?"

"I could do that." He looked at her plainly. "But I won't bring him here by force. It has to be his choice."

She nodded. "That is acceptable. You will need to wait until he has awoken. When I left with you, I'm sure that Ptah-Hotep followed our plan. By the time you return, he will be in stasis." She let out another deep sigh. "We will have at least a little time together when he awakens." She had planned to use the Doctor's DNA - which she kept safe in the vial around her neck - to provide the material which would effectively make Ptah-Hotep an Osirian. That didn't seem to be a possibility now. Still, she would be with Ptah-Hotep for as long as he lived. "Let him know we can be together. I know he will come to me."

A slight grin crossed the Doctor's features. "Oh, I know precisely when to find him," he assured her. "Who knows?" he added, remembering how Sekhmet had procured a sample of his DNA. "Maybe you might actually find a way to have children without the need of a lab. Wouldn't be the first time it happened."

The Time Lord's words hinted that he might not be opposed to helping her in her quest to have Ptah-Hotep achieve the long life of an Osirian. Still, Sekhmet was suspicious of this man and his motivations. "Perhaps you are right. Children would be a blessing to us both. If we did not have children, however, we would still be content with each other." She grinned. "We are soul mates, you know."

The Doctor nodded towards the nearby hills. "I suggest you find shelter. The largest sun will be at its apex in a couple of hours. Nasty to be out in the open when that happens. Temperatures can rise well past 100 degrees Fahrenheit."

"How will I live until you return? I have no tools, no provisions. You say there is indigenous wildlife. How can I protect myself if my powers are gone?"

"Use your initiative."

"My initiative? Without any tools, I am lost."

The Time Lord scratched the back of his head. "I suppose I could give you a few things. Pots, pans, utensils..."

"Perhaps something to cut down trees? Other cutting tools? Some rope, perhaps?"

"This isn't a vacation get-away, Sekhmet! This is punishment for trying to enslave mankind! Can't just give you everything on a gold platter. You're going to have to figure some things out for yourself." Seeing the look on her face, he sighed. "All right. Some cutting tools and rope to get you started. But I'm not going to be your supplier for the next five thousand years."

She sighed once more. "You have shown mercy to me, Time Lord. I am grateful."

"Good," the Doctor told her bluntly, turning towards the TARDIS.

"How long until my beloved is again by my side?" she called out softly at his retreating back.

"Time is relative," he told her. "I'll try to make it as soon as possible but there are no guarantees. You're going to get a terrible sunburn if you stay here," he warned as he walked into the TARDIS. He turned towards her. "I'll give you something to defend yourself until my return. In the meantime, good luck." He gave her a small smile of encouragement before closing the door. A few minutes later, the door opened again and a small canvas bag was tossed out before the door closed again and the sound of grinding engines filled the air. A moment later, the TARDIS faded from view, leaving Sekhmet alone in the rapidly heating grasslands of a primitive planet.

Grabbing the bag, Sekhmet turned and headed towards the caves the Time Lord had pointed out when they arrived, her head still held high. One seeing her walk away would say she had the bearing of a queen.

DWQLTWDWQLTW

Al left the Imaging Chamber, his heart heavy. He placed the handlink in its cradle. "Damn it," he said softly but with some heat. Just before he had left Sam, the leaper had complained about a headache, likely caused by whatever Sekhmet had done to his mind earlier. Sam had told him that the only thing he could do was lie down to get some rest, complaining slightly about there not being any modern medicines in ancient Egypt. The physicist had told Al to return to the project to get his own sleep, something the Admiral knew wasn't going to happen any time soon. As he walked into the Control Room, he felt the project's programmer's eyes upon him.

"What is it, Admiral?" Gooshie asked with concern.

"The Doctor's left Sam back in ancient Egypt high and dry."

"Well," Jack stated from the other side of the room, leaning against a wall. "Glad to know I'm not the only one he's screwed," he commented with a hint of sarcasm.

"What's that supposed to mean, Jack?" asked Al with concern.

"The Doctor left me behind too," the Captain told him bluntly. "And he never came back." He gave a wry smile. "The reason I'm here now is because of that. Sort of funny, huh?"

"Funny? You think this is funny? He did that to you and you still say I should trust him?" Al stated, his voice tensing.

Jack sighed slightly. "It's... complicated. He had his reasons for leaving me behind."

Al went up to Jack. "I don't know and I don't really care right now about what happened between the Doctor and you. Sam might be stuck back in ancient Egypt for the rest of his natural life and there would be absolutely no way we can retrieve him!"

"He'll come back for Sam," the ex-Time Agent stated, seeming certain about his words.

"You sure about that? Cause you know, if he doesn't, your friend Rose is going to spend the rest of her natural life wearing Sam's aura!"

"Positive. He won't abandon them."

"Sam said he thought the Doctor would come back for him," Al admitted. "But he also added it was possible he wouldn't be able to."

"He'll come back for him," Jack assured again.

"You seem awfully sure about that. But if he left you, why not him?"

There came a huffed laugh. "Are you that blind?"

"What?"

"He can't abandon Sam for at least one reason that I can think of."

"And that would be?" Al asked still not quite getting what Jack was referring to.

"If he abandons Sam, he'd also abandon Rose and that is never going to happen in my lifetime."

"Yeah. But Sam said that, in preventing the nightmare future, he could end up not being able to get back. You're telling me that won't happen because of Rose?"

"Oh, please!" Jack said, sarcasm once again tingeing his voice. "Isn't it obvious? The way he defends her against our straying eyes. It wasn't Sam he was defending when I noted those see-through linens." Seeing Al frown slightly, he spelled it out in black and white. "The Doctor loves Rose. And I'm not talking platonically."

Al blinked slightly at Jack's reply to the question, not exactly sure how the Doctor loving Rose would cause the Time Lord to be able to return. "But he's an alien," he started to reason, hoping this conversation would eventually answer his question and knowing that, with Jack, you sometimes had to go through some twists of thought to get to the final destination.

"So, that must mean that he's incapable of emotions," Jack continued the sentence. "What is with this time period? Everyone thinks that humans are the only ones with feelings."

"Well, up until a couple of days ago, I didn't even know there was anyone other than Earthlings," he retorted. "And I know that human's aren't the only creatures on this planet with emotions. Sam leaping into a chimp sort of solved that question once and for all."

"Oh, great," Jack answered with a huff. "So, aliens have the same kinds of feelings as lower species."

"I didn't say that. What I meant is he's an alien. You know, like Mr. Spock? And Mr. Spock didn't have emotions." His lips turned up. "Neither did that Vulcan chick on the last Star Trek show... but she had a body that..."

"Spock had emotions. He just suppressed them," Jack corrected.

"Whatever. All I'm saying is I guess I wouldn't think that someone not from here would be all that interested in Earth women."

Jack laughed. "Are you kidding? Earth women are hot! Well, a lot of them are anyway. And they do have similar biology to Time Lords. Except for the two hearts and respiratory bypass system. And an extra lobe in the brain."

"You don't have to tell me that Earth women are hot. I just figured they were hot only to Earth men," Al started, but quickly had his interest peaked. "Two hearts? And extra lobe in the brain?"

"For their telepathic and telekinetic abilities. But all that is beside the point. The Doctor loves Rose," Jack stated plainly. "He won't abandon her."

Al gave this statement due consideration. "If the way he feels about her is the same as I feel about Beth, I believe you." He frowned. "Still..." He looked gravely concerned. "Like Sam said, he might not have a choice. We have no idea where or when he's gone or if he'll be able to return at all. Best to prepare for the worst and hope for the best, I guess."

Jack nodded. "That's the spirit."

"Right," Al responded, not at all happy with the way this was turning out. "I guess we should tell Rose about this. You said you wanted to keep her apprised of everything that could affect her on this leap. I suppose if she _might_ be wearing Sam's aura for the rest of her life, she has to know what will become of her."

"I'm assuming you have protocols in case such an event actually occurs."

Al sighed. "Well, we developed them after Sam's first leap. Continued leaping was never supposed to be a possible outcome of the project, but that's what's always happened to date. The plan would be to integrate the person into Sam's life. However, since he's an uber genius, anything less than that would have to be explained away as brain injury."

"She won't like that."

"I don't think any of us would like that." Al shook his head thinking about it. "Brain injury would also explain the differences in actions and speech patterns. She would have to live her life as a male, as that is what the world will see. The upshot of the whole thing, if there is one, is that she wouldn't have to worry about financial issues for the rest of her life."

"If that happens, she could work for Torchwood," Jack announced suddenly. "If she wants. Wouldn't be the first odd person in our little gang."

"Torchwood? That other project you run? You really haven't explained much of what they do."

"And what little we have told you is enough," Jack proclaimed as he started towards the Waiting Room.

Al's voice didn't carry to Jack as he said under his breath, "If Sam's aura is going to England, we'll see about that." It might be Rose Tyler working for Torchwood but the world would see Sam Beckett doing it. If the way that the Doctor - and Sam - had reacted to the word Torchwood was any indication, it might not be the best place for the world to see Sam's aura. If he was going to lose his best friend to the sands of time and ancient Egypt, then the least he could do was make sure that the little bit of Sam still existing in the present would maintain his reputation.

A swipe of a hand against a panel allowed Jack access to the Waiting Room. Rose appeared to have had a decent meal and was lying on the bed as Jack approached with a smile. Slowly, the young woman's eyes opened and she smiled up at her friend. "Was wondering when you were gonna come back for a visit."

"Well, we've sort of been busy. You know the Doctor. Always getting into things."

Rose laughed gently. "Yeah. Well, he wouldn't be the Doctor if he didn't, would he?" She looked up and watched his eyes for a moment. "What did he do this time?"

Al, having followed Jack into the room spoke up. "We're not totally sure. Sam told me that, for a while, the world as we know it was gone."

"What does that mean?"

"Sam said that while we were talking to him, we disappeared. When the Doctor took them to our time, nothing was the same. They went back and fixed whatever caused that."

"Well, then, I don't see why you both look so distraught. I mean, if the Doctor and Sam fixed it..."

Al looked over at Rose, compassion in his eyes. "We don't know what's happened with the Doctor. He may not be able to come back."

She looked between the two men. "The Doctor wouldn't just... leave him." Her eyes met Jack's for a moment, causing her to turn away.

Seeing the distress on his friend's face, Jack walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "He'll come back. You know he'd move the universe if he could to have you with him."

"But... if he can't... where does that leave me?"

Al coughed. "That's why we wanted to at least give you a head's up. We're hoping it won't happen, but if the Doctor doesn't return, there is no way to retrieve Dr. Beckett."

"Which means I'm stuck looking like a man," Rose realized immediately. "Oh, this is fantastic!" she exclaimed sarcastically, standing up. "I can't spend the rest of my life in here. I won't."

"If Dr. Beckett never leaps out, you won't have to," Jack said firmly.

Al added, "Yeah. But since you would - to all practical purposes - be Sam, we'd have to explain away a few things."

"I'm sorry but you can't just explain away the difference between me being a woman and looking like a man!" Rose exclaimed.

"No one would be able to know you are a woman. You would have to take on Sam's life. We'd have to explain his not being a genius anymore, though."

"I'm not living someone else's life!"

Jack stepped in. "Everyone would see you as Dr. Sam Beckett. However, if this situation does occur, I have a project that you could be a part of. It's in England and you'd fit right in."

"What project?" she questioned, curious.

Jack hedged. "I can't really say much at this point. But if this scenario were to happen, then we'll talk."

"Well, if you can't even tell me..." She slumped back onto the bed, feeling suddenly trapped. "So... how long do we wait before..." She didn't finish the question, not even wanting to think about the idea of not being able to get back to the Doctor soon. Bad enough that she was stuck here until Sam Beckett leapt out of her life.

Al shook his head. "We'll have to give it some time. In the meantime, until we know for sure, I think you can be given some more freedom. After all, there's no chance that Sam will leap back for now."

"So you're letting me out of my cage, are you?"

"I'm sorry you see it as a cage. We've only kept you here in case the leap out occurs. For now, I don't see any reason, as long as you stay on the project that you can't leave the Waiting Room."

Rose folded her arms, bringing her feet on top of the bed. "Fine," she murmured, still clearly annoyed.

Jack's head tilted. "I know it's not what you wanted to hear, Rose, but it's the best we can do for now."

"Jack..." she started, waving him away before lowering her head to her knees.

"Tell me what's on your mind, Rose," the man from Torchwood said quietly.

She shook her head slightly, not raising her head to look at him. Even so, her body shook softly, plainly telling that she was crying silently.

Al sighed. "I can show you to new quarters if you'd like."

Raising her head finally, she gave Al a hard glare. "Just go away!" she finally said, anger clear in her voice. "Leave me alone! I'd still be with him if it weren't for your stupid project so just leave me alone!"

Al understood that the woman was distraught. Having lived most of past fifty-five years in the company of his brood of females, he knew when retreat was the better part of valor. "Okay." He turned to leave. "I should probably get back to Sam now."

Jack waved him off. "Rose, you don't know what would have happened if this project wasn't in place. You could be right, that you'd be with him. There are other possibilities, however."

"Like what? I was with him when Dr. Beckett... leapt... into me, wasn't I? And he wouldn't leave me. He promised he wouldn't leave me."

"True. But you were dealing with the Void. That could cause some serious problems."

"Doesn't matter," Rose insisted. "Now, I'm stuck here." She looked at her friend, seeming frailer than she had since she found herself in the Waiting Room. "Jack, I don't know what to do."

"You just have to live it, Rose. It'll work out. Hopefully where you'll be back with him." He gave her a squeeze on the shoulder. "Just let us know when you want to leave this room."

Rose nodded slightly at his words as he left the Waiting Room. She wasn't sure why she was so dead set against leaving the room. Perhaps she was afraid that leaving would mean that she was giving up on the Doctor ever coming to get her. She supposed that she was just going to have to be patient. But being patient was never a Tyler trait.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Even as the reassuring sounds of the TARDIS' engines filled the Doctor's ears, he was already planning the next few steps in his grand plan. First, he needed to return to ancient Egypt to retrieve Sam from the past. Then he and Sam had to go to 1957 and confront Ptah-Hotep and hopefully convince him to go with him to Lejani Proxis, the planet where Sekhmet was currently exiled.

"Shouldn't be too difficult, if Sekhmet's correct about him feeling the same as she does," the Doctor assured himself as he flicked the switch that would send the TARDIS into the time vortex.

The ship suddenly lurched violently, throwing the Doctor off his feet. "What the..." he complained, stabilizing himself with the console and looking at the screen. "Aw, bloody hell! Solar radiation interference is throwing us off course!" Quickly, he worked to correct the problem as the ship whipped through the time vortex like a leaf in a high gust of wind.

When at last the ship settled, the Time Lord again found himself on the floor of the TARDIS, not realizing that he'd been knocked unconscious by the temperament of the vortex. Groaning, he staggered to his feet again. "What happened?" he asked of his ship. Getting not even a feeling of an answer, he shook his head and started for the exit.

Opening the door, he stared at the scenery in front of him. "Where did you bring us, ay?" he complained, noting that the green grass and trees resembled nothing like those found along the banks of the Nile River. "This isn't Egypt," he surmised unnecessarily as he stepped out. "Looks more like England or France or..." He stopped speaking the moment when he realized that he wasn't alone. Turning around, he took a step back in surprise.

"Who are you and where did you come from?" asked a knight on a horse.

"Hello, big fella!" he greeted the knight, who was dressed in full armor. "Umm... I'm a bit lost. Could you possibly direct me to the court of Pharaoh Thutmose the First? Not much in the mood for the Renaissance Festival, I'm afraid."

"There is no court of Thutmose here, only Arthur. Who are you and where did you come from?" repeated the knight.

"Court of Arthur?" the Doctor questioned. "As in King Arthur? Camelot? But that's just legend, in'nit? Not that I mind a good Renaissance Festival. There's a lovely one every year in a little town in the United States. Little festival but love the minstrels there. Place called Larkspur." His words were instantly interrupted by the knight.

"Arthur is no legend. He rules the land with fairness and honor."

"I'm sure that he does," the Time Lord agreed. He hesitated for a moment. "I know this is a silly question but... where am I exactly? What year is this?" He knew the TARDIS would correctly convert the date into the Gregorian Calendar - utilizing the dating system devised by Dionysius Exiguus - that he used whenever he was on Earth.

"Are you daft, man? It's 516. Has been for several months. We are well into May."

"Anno domini 516?" the Doctor questioned with a slight frown. "Really? Are you sure?"

"I am an educated man," the knight said hautily. "I can read and speak Latin although I've never heard the year referred to in that fashion. But, yes, of course I'm sure it's 516."

The Time Lord looked at his surroundings before again looking at the knight. "Right. Definitely took a wrong turn." He pointed behind himself. "I'll just go along then. Wrong place, wrong time. Sorry about that." He started away from the mounted soldier.

"Where do you think you are going?" the knight said with an edge to his voice.

"Umm... back to the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt," the Doctor answered honestly. "Have a friend waiting for me there."

"Halt! You are not going anywhere. You will come with us."

The Doctor stopped in his tracks. "I will?" Seeing the knight draw his sword and aim it towards him, he raised his hands. "Of course, I will!" He paused thoughtfully. "I do need to point out that, since I will be going with you, I will - in fact - be going somewhere rather than going nowhere or, to use your term, not not going anywhere."

The knight looked somewhat confused by this oddly-dressed man's choice of words. "None of that is important," he responded, deciding that the man was likely brain ill from too much sun... or whatever it was that was in the odd blue box from which he had emerged. "What is important is that Arthur will want to meet you considering your mode of arrival." He growled. "If I hadn't stopped my horse moments before your magic box appeared, we would have been crushed by it."

The Doctor grimaced slightly. "Sorry about that. Can't seem to land on a pence these days. As for going to Camelot... my pleasure! Always wanted to meet ol' Art! I name horses after him a lot, you know."

The knight was obviously losing his patience. "You will refer to our king by his Christian name which, as I said, is Arthur."

"No nicknames? Art? Arturo? Artie? How do you say Arthur in Welsh?" the Doctor wondered.

"Silence, you impertinent foreigner!"

"Ooo! Nice word! Impertinent." Seeing the glare on the knight's face, he winced slightly. "Sorry. Silencing." With that, he pressed his lips together tightly and made a motion of locking them shut and putting the "key" in his pocket.

The knight looked at the Doctor for a moment before gesturing with his sword. "Move," he ordered with irritation. Seeing the strange man obey, he followed him slowly on horseback.

As they traveled the long distance across the land, it seemed the prisoner was incapable of keeping silent for more than a couple of minutes, constantly speaking up about this tree or that flower or those animals as they passed each. The knight couldn't have been happier to see the great castle's front gates simply so that he could be rid of the annoying creature walking in front of him. The castle itself gleamed in the bright sun, showing exactly how relatively newly built it was. Four tall towers greeted friends and warned away enemies at the front, telling of more towers on each side of the large structure. Flags furled at the great gates, showing the colors of the kingship to which the castle belonged.

"Camelot, I'm guessing," the Doctor stated with a grin. "Am I right?"

The knight answered in the affirmative. "Yes. The jewel of England. I hope for your sake you will hold your tongue better when before the King."

"Why's that?" the Doctor questioned. "Ill-tempered, is he? Well, I'm sure we'll get along famously. I even brought a banana." He patted himself down in search of the illusive fruit. "Well... somewhere."

"The King is not ill-tempered but he is the King. Impertinence is not an attitude to encourage."

The Gallifreyan gave a brief nod. "I shall be on my best behavior," he assured. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he marched towards the gates with an air of ease. "Come on, then. Let's not keep Artie waiting."

The knight looked heavenward as if to ask for strength and followed along. Once at the castle doors, he handed his horse off to his squire. "Be sure to take care of her, boy. A good brush down or your ears will ring."

"Yes, sire," the squire assured, taking the reins and gently guiding the horse to the stables.

The Doctor himself was already walking through the castle's courtyard in search of the throne room. "Let me see... medieval architecture... so..." He pointed to a particular building. "There!" With confidence, he strode towards the building a smile on his face. "Aw, this place is brilliant! Loving it!"

A rather lovely lady in a dress with worked silver thread walked by with a group of other ladies at her side. "Who is this man, Sir Hugh?"

The knight bowed. "We're not sure, Queen Guinevere. We're taking him to the King to question him. From his clothes, I'd say he must be some sort of wizard."

"Queen Guinevere!" the Time Lord exclaimed excitedly. He turned to her and bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, may I say that you are far lovelier than any imaginations can possibly do justice."

The woman smiled slightly. "Thank you..." She paused. "What is your name?"

"The Doctor," he answered amiably.

"Doctor? Merlin will want to speak with you."

The Doctor's smile widened. "Really? Oh, I'd love to have a chat with him. Him and His Majesty. Um... where is the King?" he queried.

"My husband is hearing the pleas of our countrymen."

"Good for him!" The Gallifreyan was obviously very pleased to hear her words. "Concern for the masses... can't argue with that." He felt a tug on his coat sleeve. "Apparently, Your Majesty, Sir Hugh here asks for my immediate attention. With your permission, I'll take your leave."

The woman nodded. "Yes. Sir Hugh is nothing if not single-minded."

Sir Hugh sighed, but said nothing to dispute her claim. To his prisoner, he simply requested, "On with you... um... Doctor... who?"

"Just the Doctor," the Time Lord informed him. Turning towards Guinevere, he bowed again. "Your Majesty. Ladies," he included the women with her. Standing tall, he gestured towards Sir Hugh with a smile. "After you, good knight!"

The knight led them to a rather large room. A group of peasants were milling about in the hallway awaiting their time before the King.

As they moved past them, a courier stopped them at the door. "Sir Hugh, unless you have urgent business such that would mean grave danger to the realm, you will have to wait. The King is hearing a dispute at the moment."

"I can wait," the Doctor assured. "Patience of a priest. That's me."

Sir Hugh guffawed. "If your patience is as well tempered as your silence, I sincerely doubt it." He felt it was a waste of time to hear these disputes. His business, though not grave, was surely more important than some argument over a mule or a piece of land. Still, he knew how much stock Arthur put into hearing his subjects... all of them.

"Are you saying I talk too much?" the Time Lord questioned. He shrugged. "Well... you got me there. Still, you can talk a lot and still be patient."

The courier, wanting nothing more than to do his job, nodded. "I will assure you are heard at the earliest possible time."

"Thank you," the Doctor told the courier with a smile. Ignoring the expression on Sir Hugh's face, he turned his attention to the peasants waiting for an audience with the King. They all seemed to be good folks, most obviously extremely poor but still well-cared for. One in particular caught his attention. Her elf-like features struck a hard chord in his hearts, making him swallow tightly. Before he could even think of going to speak to her, Sir Hugh pulled him into the throne room.

"We'll go in and wait there. This hallway may be good enough for the likes of them," he said nodding to the peasants, "but we will join the court."

The Doctor glared at the knight's callousness as the two walked into the room to wait until the current case was heard. It was a dispute between two farmers. One farmer had allowed the other to use his bull to get a heifer with calf. That had occurred and the union had produced two calves. The farmer with the bull felt that they should each get a calf while the other felt they were his since they had come from his cow.

Arthur listened attentively. He found that for the use of the bull, the one farmer had received payment of two gallons of mead, which had been consumed. "Was this the only payment you were to receive?" asked Arthur of the farmer with the bull.

"Well, sire, if'n I's knewed that there'd be two calves, I's 've asked for one, but how was I's t' know that would 'appen?"

Arthur gave the man a smile. "Yes. It is impossible for most men to know the future. I know of only one that does it accurately and he speaks in riddles. Still, you can't make a new contract when the payment has been paid in full without both parties agreeing."

The farmer with the two calves nodded enthusiastically. "That were what I sayed to him, sire."

Arthur looked to the farmer with the bull and gave his final judgment. "You are not entitled to a calf, sir. I suggest that if your bull is fertile enough to create two calves as a rule that you set that as a contingency should it occur in the future when you use him for breeding."

The farmer was not happy but he understood that Arthur was always fair. "Yes, sire. Thank ye."

As the two walked out of the hall, the courier announced Sir Hugh. "Sire, I am told that Sir Hugh has a case he feels is important to the realm."

Arthur nodded. "Come forward, Sir Hugh."

The Doctor grinned broadly as he followed the knight to stand before Arthur, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet with excitement at being where he was. "Aw, this is brilliant! Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I must say that... well, I'm impressed. Well and truly impressed."

Sir Hugh glared at the Doctor for speaking before he was given permission to do so. "I've told you, silence is a virtue you should learn to cultivate." He turned his attention to his sovereign. "King Arthur. As I was out hunting, a strange blue box dropped in front of us..."

"Actually..." the Doctor interjected, a finger raised in protest. "The TARDIS materialized. It doesn't drop from the sky. Well... not unless it's making a crash landing, which it wasn't. It just sort of went off course."

Sir Hugh ignored what he considered the prisoner's prattle. He'd decided during their long trek back to the castle that there really wasn't much the man said that was worth hearing. Continuing, he told the king, "Not only did it scare off the stag we were tracking, but it almost crushed me and my horse. A moment later, this man came out of it. One can only assume that this... person... is a wizard. I decided I should bring him before you for judgment."

"What is your name, sir?" asked Arthur, intrigued by the energetic man in front of him.

"The Doctor," the Gallifreyan answered. "Just... the Doctor."

"And what type of doctor are you? One who practices the black arts?" The King paused. "How else can you explain the appearance of your box?"

"Black arts?" the Doctor questioned with a frown. "Oh, not in the least, Your Majesty. I'd never dream of it. I'm a doctor of all the proper sciences." He hesitated. "As for my box... well... that's a bit complicated."

"Well, if you're not a sorcerer, why do you dress in such a manner?"

The Time Lord looked down upon himself and then back to the king. "I admit it's a bit out of style for the time but I'm rather fond of it."

"Then, since you throw off the mores of the day so easily, shall I take you for a philosopher?"

"Philosopher, historian, doctor of medicine... pretty much a doctor of everything! Except sorcery, though some of what I know may appear to be magical to you."

"You sound like Merlin!" the King said laughing. "He will certainly want to meet you." The King turned to his squire. "Go to Merlin's cave post haste. Tell him there is a man like unto him at the court." Once the boy ran off, he turned back to the Doctor. "I dare say that Merlin will want to talk with you."

"Really? Can't wait to meet him!" the Doctor proclaimed with a wide smile. "Sir Hugh here..." he tilted his head slightly to indicate the knight standing beside him. "A bit morose, isn't he? I mean, I really didn't mean to scare your stag off. Didn't even know there was a stag there or anywhere near my box for that matter. And I certainly wasn't trying to kill him or his horse."

Hugh gave the man a withering glance but Arthur seemed genuinely enjoying the conversation. "Yes, Hugh's been like that since he came to court," the King agreed. "Lives for the chase. You don't look like you're much of hunter."

"Oh, looks are deceiving, Your Majesty. Not fond of shooting innocent lower species for the thrill of it but I don't object to a thick steak every once in a while. More of a hunter of knowledge than of stags and wild beasts." The Gallifreyan tucked his hands into his pockets gracefully. "I think knowledge is far more fulfilling a victory than taking down a helpless animal. Wouldn't you say so, Your Majesty?

"Yes. Merlin instilled in me a love of knowledge." Arthur's grin expanded. "I would like for you to join us for dinner tonight. Such discussions shall be entertaining to the court. And no doubt Merlin will attend as well and you can speak with him then."

The Doctor scratched the back of his head. "Um... if you don't mind... your kingship... ness... I really can't stay long. I mean, it would be lovely to meet Merlin and all but I'm rather late..."

"Certainly you will not turn down my hospitality? I took you for a chivalrous man."

"Well... you know... obligations... and... and... and... duties... and..." The Doctor turned his head to see the hard look on Sir Hugh's face, the latter's hand resting on his sword. "Well, I wouldn't want to seem impolite, now, would I?" he finished, his eyes focused on the sword.

"Then you'll stay." Arthur turned to Sir Hugh. "Will you see that our guest is provided with a place to rest before supper? I must finish my duties and I have many more disputes to hear before we can dine."

"Oh!" the Doctor exclaimed, suddenly searching his pockets. After a moment, he pulled out a banana. "I know that addressing the concerns of state can be rather taxing. I highly recommend eating bananas to keep up one's energy. Bananas are great for just about everything. And they really are very tasty." He stopped as he saw everyone in the court staring at him. "Oh... right... probably never had one before, have you." He bowed low. "Sire, I offer you this banana fruit from the tropics of... Thebes. Please take it with my sincere thanks for your dinner invitation and hospitality."

King Arthur could do nothing but smile at this man who was so like Merlin. He took the pro-offered fruit. "Thank you. I'm sure I will appreciate it." He turned once more to the knight. "Please see to the Doctor's needs."

"Of course, sire," Sir Hugh affirmed with a bow. "This way, Doctor." He gestured the man, whose fortune had quickly morphed from a prisoner to an honored guest of the court, to accompany him out of the room.

The Doctor smiled slightly before turning to follow Hugh. He had taken a few steps before he turned back. "Oh. Need to tell you. Don't eat the peel. It's... icky." With that, he continued following the irritated guide from the room. He sighed slightly. Okay, so he was a bit stuck in medieval England instead of being in ancient Egypt to retrieve Sam. But there was one good thing on his side. Time.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Before Sam left for his quarters, he'd asked Thutmose about Jarman and the possibility of having the young man returned to Thebes, explaining that the boy had done nothing to warrant being sent to the mines. The new Pharaoh had shown mercy and had called for his retrieval. Thus, when the time trapped physicist finally dropped his head to his pillow, it was with hopes that he would see the irascible Egyptian again and soon. Sam had awoken to a new day in the kingdom of the two lands, feeling somewhat better but still experiencing the excruciating headache that Sekhmet's attack had caused. As he knew there was no medicine cabinet filled with the modern medications he'd become accustomed to, he figured he'd just have to grin and bear the pain. With a sigh, he retrieved the water jug that had been left in his room to fill the basin used for washing up. Taking care of his morning clean up, he found another sheer robe in the box that held the clothing that Thutmose had sent to the room. He pulled it out and put it on, making sure that the folds again covered strategic areas a little more than the average female Egyptian would have during this time in history.

A moment later, a voice cried out from the doorway. "Lady Rose!" Jarman exclaimed, obviously pleased to see Sam.

"Jarman!" responded the aura clad time traveler. "Thank God you're all right. When did you get back?"

"Only a few minutes ago," the boy replied. "I've never been so terrified in my life! Where did you and Lord Doctor go? I was woken by the guards and dragged away and neither of you were anywhere to be seen!"

Sam rubbed the back of his neck. "Um... Yeah. We didn't expect that would happen. There was a... a..." Sam was at a loss at how to explain that the world had gone quite 'caca,' as Al would describe it. He finally decided that it would be far beyond Jarman's abilities to understand why they had to leave. He sighed. "We found out that there was an emergency to take care of and we honestly believed we'd be back before you woke up. Otherwise we would have taken you with us." He moved to the boy and put his hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jarman, and I know the Doctor is too. We'll find some way to make it up to you."

Jarman considered Sam's words for a long moment. Rose did seem quite honest about her regret for leaving him to be arrested and sent to the salt mines. And while the experience had been horrible, he couldn't see any reason to blame her or the Doctor for the actions of the guards. After all, they had been under Pharaoh's orders... which in itself opened a whole new bag of serpents. Looking around the room, the young man asked, "Where is Lord Doctor?" He noted that the Time Lord wasn't present and neither was his magic blue box.

Sam's shoulders slumped slightly in resignation. "Another emergency and one I agree he had to take care of." He paused. "I'm not sure if we'll see him again or not."

"Oh," the boy said, sadness tinting his voice. He paused for a moment before giving a small frown. "You two seem to have a lot of emergencies. Does this have anything to do with the death of Ptah-Hotep? I heard that he had died and that is why Thutmose now rules the land."

"I guess we do have a lot of emergencies. I've just gotten used to them I guess. For the last..." Sam stopped when he realized that, while he still didn't know how long he'd been leaping, ever since he'd stepped into the Accelerator all he'd done was solve problems quickly and without warning. The thought caused an unconscious lop-sided grin to grace his face. "Well, for quite some time, all I've known is emergencies and from what I know about the Doctor, he's even had longer to deal with that reality. But to answer your question, this emergency didn't directly cause Ptah-Hotep to vacate his throne. One could say, it was destined to happen."

The boy sighed, shaking his head slightly. He was about to say that nothing Rose had said made a lot of sense to him when he noticed the grimace of pain that crossed her face. With concern, he moved towards her, asking, "Rose... what's wrong? Are you ill?"

Sam waved the concern away. "My head is hurting badly. Part of the emergency was meeting up with a being that was able to turn me into a…" He paused, unsure how to translate the English word that came to mind. Finding none, he said the word in English and continued. "… zombie. I'm still suffering the effects of that encounter."

Jarman blinked in confusion. "What's a zombie?" he asked, trying the foreign word on his tongue with a slight grimace.

"A zombie is... well... it's a creature that has had its will taken over by another person." Seeing that Jarman was still confused, he tried again, "Sort of a person that is..." He thought about how movies described zombies and finished with "...one of the living dead."

"You were cursed!" the young man exclaimed, stunned by the revelation. "But you seem fine now... I mean... you aren't going to hurt me... Are you?"

"What?" Sam asked, now being the one confused. His eyes opened wide as he realized how his words had been taken. "Oh... No! I'd never hurt you, Jarman. And you're right. Once the Doctor took Sekhmet away, I was fine... except for this awful headache. It feels like my head's about to split open."

"Lord Doctor took a goddess away?" The boy seemed to consider that for a long moment. "Then I was right... he is a god!"

"A god? Why would you say that?"

"Well... he acts like a madman and he knows so many things and speaks so strangely and yet he was well accepted by Ptah-Hotep as his uncle which would make sense if they both were gods. And then you just said that he took the goddess Sekhmet away. Only a god could take a goddess away."

Sam followed Jarman's logic and had to admit, to a person of this time who had grown up with this concept being his reality, it made sense. Still he had to try to have Jarman see the truth. "I can see why you'd think that but the Doctor isn't a god. He's a remarkable individual and he's not like other men..."

Jarman stopped him in mid-sentence. "That's what I said. He's a god."

With a sigh, Sam decided that he had as much chance of convincing this 18th dynasty young man that the Doctor wasn't a god as convincing him that he himself wasn't a woman. "Okay. Let's just say that he's got a unique existence and leave it at that." Sam's face scrunched suddenly as another wave of pain hit him. He wavered for a moment and reached out to grab onto a chair so he wouldn't fall.

"Lady Rose!" Jarman exclaimed with concern. He moved to help Sam into the chair that was now supporting him. "That headache must be terrible. Would you like me to call for a physician?"

Although Sam knew that ancient Egyptian physicians were competent, in some things reaching close to what to him was modern care, he also knew that wasn't always the case. "No. I don't think that will be necessary. If I could just get something to ease the pain."

"Then perhaps I should bring you some myrrh."

Even through the pain, or maybe because of it, Sam looked up at Jarman confused. "Myrrh? Why would I need myrrh? It's not like I'm going to need embalming. The headache's not that bad." As he said it, another wave of pain caused him to take in a quick breath. "Okay... maybe you're right. Embalming might not be a bad idea."

The boy blinked at him for a moment. "That headache must be horrible if you are ready to join the gods while there is still much life in you. I shall go and get some myrrh immediately." Thinking for a moment, he quickly hurried to the bed where he had been sleeping - before his enslavement in the salt mines - and pulled out the two coins the Doctor had given him. Tucking them into his belt, he assured Sam that he would return as quickly as possible before hurrying out of the room.

Sam watched as Jarman rushed out, still confused by why the boy would suggest myrrh for the headache if it wasn't a morbid joke. He thought through the pharmaceutical training he'd had while in medical school. With a raise of his eyebrows, he smiled slightly. "Right. One of the little known uses for myrrh in this time was to treat pain, especially headaches." He was thankful once more for Jarman's concern. However, another wave of pain took the smile off his face and he decided that lying down was probably a good idea until the boy returned.

About an hour later the young Egyptian reentered the room. The boy obviously knew the recipe for the medicinal preparation. It wasn't long until it was ready. Sam figured it might not be as good as Tylenol, but it would have to do.

As Jarman was finishing his preparations, the Imaging Chamber door's light appeared followed quickly afterwards by Al. The hologram glanced at the concoction that Jarman had created. "Yuck. Looks like the sludge from the bottom of a dirty oil barrel."

"It probably tastes like it too, but without the corner drug store, it's the best I can get," said Sam keeping his focus on Jarman's preparations.

Jarman looked over at Sam. "Rose... you're not getting worse, are you? I remember when the goldsmith in the market fell and began to speak incomprehensibly. You're not having such a spell, are you? I hate to think your beautiful face will be marred by not being able to move one side."

Sam realized that he had been speaking in English again. Turning back to the young man, he switched to Egyptian. "No. I'm not having a stroke. I was just speaking in my native language. Sorry. I sometimes do that. It helps me think."

"Oh. Right. You're not from here," the boy said as he continued to make the healing remedy. "I just need to add some honey and some almond paste."

"What did you tell him, Sam?" Al asked. When Sam gave him a look that said he didn't want to speak to him at the moment due to Jarman's presence, the Admiral shrugged. "Fine. I'll just keep up the conversation." The hologram looked into the pot. "It sort of looks like a hangover remedy one of my Navy buddies used to make after we'd get three sheets to the wind," he commented. Sam started to give him a glare in response but then grimaced in pain again. "Right," Al realized. "Headache caused by the creepy Egyptian alien goddess."

Jarman finished stirring the mixture. "I'll be back, Rose. Just need the final ingredients. Just stay lying down while I'm gone." He then left the room.

Once the boy was gone, Sam turned to Al once more, responding to his last statement. "Yeah. She really did a number on me. They called me for dinner last night, but I begged off. My head felt like it was going to split in two."

"How does it feel now?"

"It still feels like the worst migraine I've ever had, but at least now I know I'll live." He hesitated a moment. "Um... did you talk to my host? Let her know the situation?"

"Yeah... we did. She's not taking it very well, I'm afraid."

"I don't blame her." He stopped to look up at Al. "You know, in all the years of leaping, I've always held out hope that I'll make it home. Now..." Sam looked away quickly, not wanting to face what this likely meant. Without hope of making it home, there wouldn't be any justification to keeping the project going.

"Hey, don't start on that. Both Rose and Jack are absolutely certain that the Doctor will come back to pick you up."

Sam gave a half grin. "Yeah. I'm probably over-thinking this."

"Yeah," Al agreed with the assertion. "Probably best if you try to... do whatever it is that you can do to keep yourself occupied until either the Doctor returns or we figure out a way to get you home without sending Rose to the 18th Dynasty."

"Well, if the latter is the only possibility, you should probably leave me here. At least I know the language and if I have to live in the past for the rest of my life, this is a fascinating time."

"You'd want to do that? Stay here?"

"That's not what I said, Al. I said that if the choice is to force someone else to live in this time or live here myself, I think I'm better equipped. It would be unfair to someone else to have to find a way to survive."

"Oh," Al answered. "Well, I don't think that's going to be the case. We just need to be patient."

"Yeah."

The two men chatted for a while longer when Jarman came back into the room. "I've got the rest of the ingredients. I'll have something to help you soon."

Sam nodded. "Thanks." He watched as Jarman took the sticky concoction and rolled it into what looked sort of like lozenges. Taking one of the lozenges and a cup of water, Sam swallowed it, giving a slight shake as it went down his esophagus. "Yuck. That tastes terrible!" he complained.

Seeing the grimace on Sam's face, Al instantly knew that, like most medicines, it tasted worse than the illness. "Hope it helps rather than harms," he commented. He sighed slightly. "Of all the time to wish that obnoxious alien and his blue box were around. At least then I could understand what you're saying to Jarman."

Jarman shrugged. "Think of what it would have tasted like without the honey and almonds."

"You're right." Sam paused. "Where'd you learn to make this stuff?"

"Oh, my grandmother showed me when I was younger. She knew herbs and roots and things like that. She told me that people that use this are smiled upon by the gods and any spears in the head are taken care of."

"Well, that's good. Don't want spears in my head." He stopped for a moment considering Jarman's many talents. "With knowledge like this, you could become a physician."

"Who me? I'm just a street kid. I could never be a physician."

"And why not? You're intelligent and you pick things up quickly."

"Yeah... but... I don't even know how to read or write. I think you need to be able to do that if you're a physican."

"I told you, I'll teach you."

Jarman looked down. "You really think I can? Learn to read and write? Like the scribes?"

Sam smiled. "I don't see why not. Like I said, you're a bright kid. Brilliant even."

Suddenly Al's eyes opened wider. "Brilliant? Did you just say brilliant in ancient Egyptian, Sam?

Sam turned to his friend. "Yeah. I did. How did you know that?"

Jarman sighed. Rose was back to speaking in that strange tongue. She said it helped her to think. He just hoped she didn't have to think too long, as this process made her look quite mad.

"Cause I just understood it! Either I'm learning the lingo... or..." He looked around suspiciously, "...or the Doctor is back." He suddenly looked up. "What?" A moment later, he added, "Jack did that? And she didn't give him any grief? Geez, I ask her to consider a new accounting program so I don't have to keep shifting the motor pool monies around and she acts like I'm trying to turn her into Donald Trump or something."

Sam had listened to this and now was intrigued. "What? What happened, Al?

"Jack convinced Ziggy to accept new programming. Now she can translate language like the TARDIS!"

"But, how is that possible? The TARDIS is integrated with the Doctor and uses its telepathic circuits to translate languages in one's mind," Sam pointed out.

Al looked up once more as if listening to someone. "Okay. Fine. I didn't get those details. I'm a big picture kind of guy." He turned to Sam. "It's not exactly like the TARDIS. Well, it's sort of like the TARDIS... I mean... you and I are connected and so Jack's programmed Ziggy to use _your _abilities in languages to allow me to understand them. Pretty cool, huh?"

"So, basically, you understand what we're saying because I understand what we're saying," Sam summarized. "But if we went to Tanzania, neither of us would understand a word said."

"I think that's the gist of it." The handlink squealed with a happy sound. "Ziggy says this time I got it." He was bouncing on his feet and beaming. "Say something in ancient Egyptian, Sam!"

Sam rolled his eyes at the older man. "You're incorrigible."

"Yeah. Ain't it great? He beamed even more. "Really, Sam, say something."

The physicist sighed. "Don't get me wrong, but I'm not really thrilled about this."

"Why not? I can understand you now."

"No... not that.," he said somewhat annoyed. "But this means that this Harkness guy can change Ziggy. I mean if he can get her to accept this type of radical programming, what else will it lead to?"

Al's forehead creased. "Huh? That doesn't make any sense, Sam." Suddenly though, it dawned on him. "You're jealous! You're jealous that Jack's got that kind of relationship with Ziggy!"

"No... I'm not."

"Yes. You are. As jealous as Gooshie was when he caught Jack ogling Tina."

"Jack ogled Tina?"

"Jack ogles everyone," Al said as if it were obvious. "He's not exactly discreet about it."

"Oh," Sam responded. "Sounds like things have changed a lot back there."

"Not that much, Sam. The project's still your baby." He gave his friend a smile. "Just that it's growing out of childhood and more into the terrible teens."

"I guess."

Jarman frowned slightly as he watched Rose speaking to the open air, deciding that she had "thought" for long enough. "Obviously the medicine hasn't taken affect yet," he told Sam, touching his shoulder gently. "You should rest for a while."

Sam turned back to Jarman. "What?"

"Rest. Like in going to sleep or just lying down and closing your eyes."

"I understood that too!" Al exclaimed giddily. "This is great!"

"Down, boy..." Sam said, not bothering to use English.

"Down where?" Jarman asked, concerned. "I wonder if I put too much myrrh in the mixture."

Sam was trying to think of some way to explain his words when a courtier came to their rooms to say that Lady Rose and Jarman were summoned to the throne room. Although the headache mixture hadn't really done much yet, he was getting better. Figuring that answering Pharaoh's summons was a good idea, he gestered to Jarman that they should go. Heading into the large brightly painted room, the two palace guests approached the dais at Pharaoh's command.

"King Thutmose," Sam said once he had made the customary show of submission. "I must apologize for last night. My head was still pained from the attack by Sekhmet."

Thutmose smiled. "Yes, the ways of the gods are strange. Are you rested now?"

"I'm feeling much better. Thank you."

"Good," the new Pharaoh answered. "You may wish to know, the priests have told me of Sekhmet's greatness," he informed. "How she came with might and called my uncle to her, blessing him with a miraculous preparation for the afterlife."

"Miraculous?"

"Yes. The priests have discovered that, unlike others before, my uncle did not have the traditional rites. His preparation for the afterlife was quick. There was no need to preserve his body as has been done with our ancestors."

Sam said wryly, "I'm not surprised."

"You have foreseen this in visions?"

"More like the stuff of nightmares, if you ask me," Al put in, shivering slightly from the memories. "Gives me the serious heebie jeebies." He paused. "Hey! I understood him too!"

"You could say that," Sam agreed to Al's comment while side-stepping Thutmose's question and, at the same time, rolling his eyes slightly at Al's excitement of comprehending the sovereign.

The Vizier moved closer to the Pharaoh and whispered in his ear. Thutmose looked at Sam with a hint of suspicion. "You are a lady of great gifts, Lady Rose. The question remains, however, whether you use your gifts for ill or for good."

"I've always followed the feather of Maat tempered with the wisdom of Thoth."

"Oh... good one, Sam," Al put in.

"Then it would not dispose you to tell me what it was that this boy brought to your rooms and the purpose for them."

"I had a headache. Jarman was preparing medication to ease the pain."

"Yeah," Al commented. "The kid just wanted to help Sam out. He's not Lord Voldemort."

Thutmose smiled slightly at his words. "That eases my concerns."

Sam glared slightly at Al. "You're not helping here," he hissed under his breath. To Thutmose, he responded directly. "You will be glad to hear that the medication worked well."

"Excellent," Pharaoh stated. "In that case, you wouldn't be indisposed to join us for my uncle's ceremony."

"Is the tomb already prepared?"

"The priests say that it is, that Sekhmet has ordered the use of Pharaoh Amenhotep's tomb for my uncle. Such things are... unusual. But if it is the will of the gods, then we must obey."

Sam nodded, knowing exactly where Ptah-Hotep's tomb was. "Well, that explains why it takes so long to find," he muttered under his breath.

Thutmose offered his arm to Sam. "Come, my lady. I am honored by your presence and insist on being your escort."

Sam, knowing it would be unwise not to take the proffered arm and aware of the great honor that Thutmose was bestowing, did so. He asked if Jarman would be allowed to accompany them. After a few moments consideration, Pharaoh agreed. They went through the palace to the waiting chariots. Sam was escorted to Pharaoh's while Jarman would be traveling in another provided for the mourners. The gold sarcophagus was clearly in the view on the conveyance wagon. "It's hard to believe he's there," said Sam softly.

"Indeed," Thutmose agreed sadly. "He was not of this world for long. His reign as Pharaoh was so very short. But it is plain that he is favored by Sekhmet for him to receive such a wondrous vessel to take him to the land of the dead."

Sam was silent. He knew that wasn't exactly the truth. The man was very much alive, a fact he would discover many years in the future along what was now his own past. Although Sam had no trouble with temporal concepts, this one wasn't exactly the easiest to swallow.

Al, however, wasn't silent although only one person could hear him. "More like the land of the undead," he said with a grimace. "With cobras and scorpions..." He looked about the desert, disconcerted. "You don't think there are any creepy crawlies around, do you?"

Sam narrowed his eyes at his nervous friend. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" he whispered low enough for Thutmose not to hear.

"Not really, no," came the blunt reply.

"Well, I don't think I want to hear anything during the trip there."

Al blinked. "Are you... kicking me out?"

"Well, I have the feeling there'll be a running commentary and, quite frankly, I'm not ready for that."

The Admiral's eyebrows went up slightly at his words. "You've been around that Doctor guy too long already. You're starting to sound like him." Raising the handlink, he started pressing some buttons. "Fine. You want me to leave? I'll leave and come back when you're in a better mood."

Sam realized that he'd been a little short with his buddy. Right before the Observer pressed the final button that would open the door of the project, Sam said, "I guess the medication wasn't as strong as I'd hoped. My head is still somewhat throbbing."

Al gave him a little bit of a smile, understanding the meaning behind the words. "Apology accepted, kid. Take care of that headache. I'll be back later." With that, the holographic observer vanished from Sam's sight.

Thutmose glanced towards Sam, noticing that he had been muttering in a strange language. "Lady Rose, you seem ill. Do you think you can make the journey?" he questioned with concern.

With a grin, Sam told him, "I wouldn't miss this for anything." The opportunity to see the tomb as Ptah-Hotep was laid to rest was too much of a pull for his archeologically inclined mind. "I will be fine."

"Then we go," Thutmose answered, using the reigns to gently encourage the horses to move forward.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The royal procession continued for several hours into the desert until the final resting place of Ptah-Hotep the Second was well in sight. Once the chariot was halted, Thutmose stepped down onto the sand, offering his hand to Sam, who took it and stepped down knowing others would be watching. The tomb was laid open, much as he'd seen it before. In fact, it gave him the feeling of déjà vu. As they headed into the tomb, a question that Sam had since the leap to 1957 was answered. The reason the tomb looked so unfinished was that it really was unfinished. This would have been the tomb of Amenhotep. He looked around, his eidetic memory realizing that the tomb was not as he and Dr. Will had found it. The fresco of Sutekh, for instance, was still unharmed. It looked freshly painted. He walked to it and found he was right as his robe brushed it slightly and a small amount of the paint transferred to his garment.

"Oops," he commented. A painter that was still at hand moved in quickly to fix the slight blemish that Sam had caused. "Cool," he observed. He then asked, "Why is this fresco larger than the rest? I mean, since Ptah-Hotep was so favored by Sekhmet, wouldn't her image be the most prominent?"

Thutmose turned to the priests, his own eyes reflecting the question. "Answer Lady Rose's inquiries."

The head priest nodded to the picture. "Ptah-Hotep ordered it so. He said that Sekhmet had ordered that Sutekh should guard him through eternity."

Thutmose frowned slightly. "An odd thing for one god to order the protection of another. Surely Sekhmet meant her own image to be placed to guard my uncle."

The head priest shook his head. "Sekhmet will be next to the sarcophagus, close to Ptah-Hotep's heart. Sutekh is only to guard the outer chamber and keep his secrets safe.

The Pharaoh indicated his approval. "If that is Sekhmet's will, then so be it."

The rest of the day was mostly filled with performing the rites of blessing the tomb in the name of all the gods, and setting the sarcophagus and the trap should anyone disturb the rest of the late Pharaoh. At the end of the ceremonies, the priests build the false wall. When it was finished, the painter was called to paint the picture of the false door that Sam had broken, though some three thousand five hundred years in the future.

At that moment, the Imaging Chamber door opened and Al walked in. A moment later, the visage of Jack Harkness joined him, his hand on the apparently older man's shoulder.

"What's he doing here?" asked Sam, quietly. He was standing off by himself, which allowed him to see how things came to be as he'd found them. Thutmose had decided to stay and assure that his uncle's tomb was left protected and was some distance away. Jarman had not been allowed to see the inner tomb as that was only allowed for the royal entourage, which included the priests and painters, and thus wasn't around to hear Sam talking to his unseen companions.

Al nodded over to one wall. "The curse isn't there, Sam. I distinctly remember there being a curse on that wall."

"You would," Sam answered wryly. When Al gave him a pained looked, he shrugged. "Well, I'm just saying." He paused a beat. "If it makes you feel any better, I noticed that too. I'm not sure who puts it there. Probably the painter."

Jack looked around the room with fascination. "You know, this reminds me of the time I was in Egypt. Excavating the tomb of Tutankhamun with Carter. On assignment, of course."

Sam's ears perked up at Jack's words about the famous Carter expedition. "You were with Carter? How?"

"Long story," Jack said evasively. "What's this about a curse?"

"Well, when I found this tomb in 1957, there was a curse or warning written there. It said, 'As for anyone who will disturb the tomb of King Ptah-Hotep, death will swallow him.'"

Al shivered. "Almost did, too, if Sam hadn't gotten those two out of here." He smirked then. "I like the one about 'for a good time, call Nefertiti."

"That wasn't really written there, Al."

Al provided Sam a sarcastic look. "I know that; I just liked the sentiment."

Jack laughed. "You never know," he commented. "I've seen some pretty strange things written on walls." He paused thoughtfully. "Once knew a girl named Nefertiti. Claimed to be the last Pharaoh of the New Egyptian Dynasty. By the way, nice memory, Sam."

"It's eidetic. I remember most things I see. At least I did before I started leaping." He thought about things since he'd started traveling with the Doctor. "It's strange, but my memory seems to be stronger since meeting the Doctor."

"You're not bouncing around without a time capsule anymore," Jack told him. "Doing it without a capsule can have the oddest side effects, especially if you are using the equipment you have been using." He grimaced slightly. "Nasty."

"You sound like you know as much about time travel as the Doctor."

"Well, I did my fair share. Traveled with the Doctor myself, in fact." His eyes found a statue of interest to him. "Nice rod!" he said admiringly.

Sam looked over at the statue of a nearly naked man holding a rod in his hand. "Okay..." he said having learned quickly that the man had a rather... unique and bawdy perspective. He decided to bring the conversation back on track. "So, you've traveled in time." His eyes widened as he considered a new idea. It would explain why the Doctor and Jack Harkness appeared to have an extensive history. "Are you a Time Lord too? The Doctor said there weren't anymore."

Jack gave him a look. "There aren't. The Doctor's the last one. One of a kind in every possible way. So, no, I'm not a Time Lord. I'm human. Well, about as human as I can get for the rest of my life, however long that may be." He sounded extremely hopeful, as if he were anticipating something that might or might not happen.

Sam's forehead creased. "What's that mean, 'as human as you can be?' Either you're human or you're not."

"So, what about this curse?" Jack changed the subject without answering Sam's question. "Because, if there is should be a curse written right there..." He pointed to the space where Sam said he'd read it. "... I'd say the workers are slacking off and leaving it for later. Like maybe in another three thousand years or so."

The workmen were finishing up. Thutmose, who had been with the priests, returned to find the Lady Rose talking to thin air. "Are you seeing a vision again, Lady?"

Sam was startled by the sudden voice, bringing him back to his present and the hologram's past. "Um... yes. I was wondering when the warning to those who would desecrate Ptah-Hotep's tomb would be written."

Thutmose tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

Sam took a deep breath. "I just, um, saw a vision of such a warning."

Thutmose shook his head. "That should be left to the priests."

Al agreed. "Yeah, Sam. Leave it to the priests. I never liked that warning anyway."

Jack raised his hand. "Now, wait a minute. If Sam saw this warning in his past, this timeline's future, it has to be here exactly as Sam saw it otherwise there could be a paradox. And trust me, you don't want to have to deal with a paradox. The universe could vanish with a big bang... or a tiny whimper. But one way or the other, it would definitely go bye-bye."

Al looked over at him. "You really think it's that big of a deal?"

"Let's put it this way. What would have happened if Sam didn't read that warning?"

"Um... maybe he wouldn't have kept looking..." Al's demeanor became more animated, "...and I wouldn't have seen the mummy from hell."

Sam rolled his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered, not realizing he'd slipped into ancient Egyptian.

Thutmose's eyes widened. "You're not taking the priest's role seriously?"

"Exactly," Jack pointed out, ignoring Sam's and Thutmose's words. "And he wouldn't have been able to tell the Doctor about Ptah-Hotep."

"So?" Al questioned with a shrug.

Sam, realizing that his words had been taken out of their actual context and put into the context of Thutmose's and his conversation, shook his head. He had some serious backpedaling to do. "Um. No. I do take them seriously. I'm just saying that... well... the vision I had is... um... from the gods themselves."

"So, if the Doctor had never learned about Ptah-Hotep from Sam here, that Osirian you two say the Doctor is taking care of might still be here, causing one hell of a ruckus. Personally, I really don't like the sound of that," Jack answered Al and then turned to Sam. "You have to make sure that warning is exactly as you saw in 1957."

Thutmose looked at the woman. "So this is what they want?"

Sam nodded. "Yes. I can write it." He went over and took the paint and the brush from the painter. Going over to the wall, he wrote the warning as he'd seen it. Again, the feeling of deja vu hit him.

"Perfect," Jack complimented. "Anything else you see that needs to be done here?"

Sam finished the warning and shook his head in answer to Jack.

"It is indeed a fit warning," Thutmose stated, reading the inscription that Sam had painted.

The priest, seeing the words, smiled. "Yes, you must have heard the gods themselves." Throwing a few incantations over the warning, he said, "And now it is time to leave the god Ptah-Hotep to take his trip across the skies with Ra."

The Pharaoh, the priest, and Sam all left the tomb in respectful silence as Al and Jack followed. "Shame to leave all those riches in that tomb," Jack commented as they left.

Al shook his head. "I wish I'd never seen any of them. Especially the dead guy in the sarcophagus." At Sam's glance, he amended. "Okay, the suspended animated guy, but I didn't know that at the time."

Sam's forehead suddenly creased. "The Ineni Papyrus."

"The what?" Al questioned.

"The Ineni Papyrus," Jack answered, tucking his hands into his pockets as he continued to walk. "So, what's this Ineni Papyrus?"

"It's the primary source about the gold sarcophagus. It wasn't found until 1963 but, between that and the Dier El Bahri, it was part of what got me interested in archeology."

"It looks like you have your work cut out for you, doesn't it?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, if you got interested in archaeology because of the Ineni Papyrus and the Dier El Bahri, and the Ineni Papyrus tells about the gold sarcophagus, don't you think you need to make sure there is a mention of a gold sarcophagus?"

"You mean I should write it?"

"Why not?"

"Well, because..." He trailed off. "I mean..." Sighing, he shrugged, "I guess there's no reason not to."

"Exactly. Who knows? Maybe it was written by you all along."

Sam's mouth morphed into a lop-sided grin. "Isn't that a paradox in itself?"

"No, it's a temporal loop," Jack corrected him. "It doesn't contradict itself; it fulfills itself. Temporal loops are okay as long as there aren't too many of them."

"Fine. I'll write it when we get back."

"Lady Rose," Thutmose caught Sam's attention. He extended his hand towards him. "We must return to the palace and feast. We must celebrate the rise of my uncle into godhood."

"Feast?" Sam asked. "Of course. It is only fitting." To Jack and Al, he shrugged.

"Godhood's overrated," Jack announced. "But as they say... when in Rome. Or in this case, Egypt..."

DWQLTWDWQLTW

_Camelot_

_A.D. 512_

On the way to the assigned chambers, the Doctor found they had to walk through the same hallway he'd passed through on the way to see Arthur. He stopped and looked around at the people waiting for an audience with their king. He was amazed with the sheer numbers just sitting along the corridor, some obviously ill. One particular person caught his attention, the same whom he had been drawn to before entering the royal court. Ignoring Sir Hugh's frustration, he went up to the girl and squatted down before her, unintentionally staring at her elfin features. "Hello," he greeted gently.

The young woman looked up at the man, a look of caution on her face. She was obviously not used to a stranger coming up to speak to her. "Hello."

"Waiting to see His Majesty?"

The girl nodded slowly. From the inflection of her voice, it was clear that she was still not comfortable with having a conversation with a person she did not know. "Yes. The King is a wise man. He will know what I should do."

The Doctor looked around again at the waiting multitude. "Well, he seems a bit busy. How long have you been waiting?"

She sighed. "Four days." Seeing the look on his face, she added, "It's fine, though. I understand there are others that have more pressing needs. I can wait longer if necessary."

"Four days?" the Time Lord questioned with a frown. Shifting his position so that he was sitting beside the young woman, he gestured to the rest of the people. "Have all of you been waiting for so long?"

She shrugged. "Not all. As I said, some have more pressing needs that affect the entire kingdom. I am only one person."

"And I suppose the ones who have seen His Majesty are dressed in more expensive clothes than you," he murmured in a low tone. "Don't any of the knights offer help?"

"The knights are mostly off in the kingdom, doing Arthur's work. Only a few are at Camelot at any one time."

"Still, look around..." the Gallifreyan pointed out. "There has to be at least fifty people here just waiting for an audience, each with their own needs. Surely the knights who are here could help them." He looked at Sir Hugh, who apparently had given up on escorting him to his room. Apparently, the knight had figured that the strange man would rather sit with rabble than recline in comfort. The Time Lord shook his head in disgust. "No, this won't do." He turned bodily so that there was no doubt his attention was strictly on her. "I'm the Doctor. And you are?"

The peasant looked somewhat worried, not understanding why this man was so interested in her. "It's Galadriel, sir." She paused and decided to tell him what she was there for. "I'm in hopes that the King will order my cousin to return my things to me."

"Why would he play keep-away from you?" the Doctor questioned with a frown. "I mean, how old is your cousin anyway? Bit childish, is he?"

"He's twenty-four, sir. When my father died, as the eldest male in our family, he inherited the house and possessions. I had nowhere to go. I wanted to take a few meaningful items and my clothes, but he said they were his and I'd just have to make do with the clothes on my back."

"What?" he exclaimed, plainly stunned by her revelation. "Threw you out, just like that?" A dark look crossed his face. The more he looked at Galadriel, the more he was reminded of another young woman with elfin features like hers. Just imagining that other girl out in the cold with only the clothes on her back and no one to help her, save an already overworked king, was enough to cause his blood to run hotter than normal. Standing abruptly, he offered his hand to her. "Take me to your cousin. I have a few choice words for him."

She looked towards the door where the King was doling out justice and bit her lip. "If I go with you, I'll lose my place."

He looked into her beautiful brown eyes. _She inherited them from her mother_, he thought haphazardly before recalling that the girl before him wasn't the same as the one he was remembering. "Galadriel... how many times have you been passed up to see the King in favor of someone who was supposedly more important?"

Her eyes turned down. "I'm not sure."

The Time Lord pressed on gently. "I saw His Majesty before you and I only just arrived. Now I have no doubt that he will see you eventually. But how long are you going to wait for your turn to see him? Four more days? A week? More?" He gently raised her head so that she had to look at him. "I'm offering to help you now." He gazed into her eyes, sending a light suggestion to reaffirm his honest interest in her well being.

She looked into his eyes and saw truth there. She wasn't exactly sure why, but she trusted him like she had no other, save her father. "Thank you, sir. Yes. I will accept your help."

Taking her hand, he grinned at her brightly and helped her to her feet. "Right, then. Lead the way," he instructed.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The Doctor and Galadriel walked through the crowd waiting for the King, stepped out into the courtyard, and then moved past the castle walls into the grasslands outside. The Doctor knew that the walk would take some time and he seriously doubted that this young farmer had the necessary transportation to get to their destination. During their walk, the Time Lord did his best to get to know the young woman who reminded him of his granddaughter. "So... Galadriel..." he started, making conversation for their journey. "That's a lovely name. Where did you get it? Sounds a bit Gaelic."

"My grandmother was from the north country. It was her name."

"Really? What does it mean?" he asked gently, tucking his hands into his pockets as he walked.

Galadriel shrugged. "I've been told by the English priests that it means Susan."

The Doctor abruptly halted, a stunned look on his face. "You're kidding me!"

Her forehead creased in confusion. "No. I'm not kidding. Is my name a problem?"

He didn't answer for a long moment. "No," he finally said. "No, it's... it's a lovely name. It's just that... well... You... um..." He sniffed in a breath. "You look like someone I knew... long time ago. Lifetimes ago," he added quietly. "Her name... her name was Susan too. Well, that's the name she chose anyway," he finished wistfully.

"She chose her own name? That's seems so strange. Usually children are given their names by their parents."

"Well, she was given a name when she was born," the Doctor told her, resuming his walk. "Very long name. Difficult to pronounce in English. Very typical of my people."

"And that name was?" she asked, interested.

"Zuzanpratunkatlemir," he replied. Seeing the look on Galadriel's face, he smiled. "No wonder she decided to go by Susan." He furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "Never did understand the tradition of giving children impossibly long names. I would have just named her Susan but her father was so insistent. Had to go by tradition. Must have gotten it from his mother. He certainly didn't get it from me."

"That is a long name," she responded with a lilt in her voice. "My parents also appreciated tradition. They said it gave one... a connection with the past."

"Yeah," he admitted to her statement. "But at the same time, there is always room for a little change here and there." He looked over at the girl and noted that her expression seemed a little sad. "What's wrong?" he asked with concern.

"I miss my father and my mother," she said wistfully.

He gave her a sympathetic glance. "No family other than this malicious cousin of yours?"

"Not anymore. My mum died a few years back. She..." Galadriel paused, seeming to think for a long moment before continuing, refusing to look at the helpful stranger. "She had the fever. Papa died two fortnights ago. That was when I lost my home."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said gently before turning his head towards the distance in front of them. "I lost my family too. My children. My granddaughter... no one left."

"We're both alone in the world then."

He gave her a slight grin. "Nah, you're still young. You can find a nice lad to marry and raise a family. Besides, right here and right now, we have each other. That's what's important, isn't it?"

It seemed odd to her, as she was usually not taken with strangers, but this one was so different. She felt at peace with him and somehow knew they would be friends. "Yes. It's important to have others in your life. Companions make life bearable."

"Yeah. Yeah, they do. Most of the time anyway. I'm guessing, though, that you don't have many. Friends, that is. Not that you couldn't have companions in your life. Only... it's hard to find the right ones."

"I have a few friends. Most live in the area where I grew up. I haven't seen them since I left." She paused. "I don't know anyone in the town."

"Where have you been living for the past month? Not a lot of places a young maiden can stay in town, not without an escort of some kind."

"The stable master has given me a place to sleep. It's out of the cold and the straw is fairly clean."

"Well, I'm sure that it is but what are you going to do once winter comes? Can't live in a stable." He took a deep breath. "I'll see what I can do to get you better accommodations."

She smiled. "You are a kind man."

He just gave her a hint of a grin at her words. Seeing a building in the far distance, he nodded towards it. "Is that your farm?"

"Well, it was. Now it's my cousin Boyne's farm."

"Boyne? Sounds like the noise a spring makes when it breaks. That or a tuning fork."

"A broken spring? How odd. I've heard springs bubble and gurgle but never 'boyne.'" Tilting her head, she continued to muse. "And springs can dry up, so I guess they can be broken, but then they don't make any sound at all."

"Right," the Time Lord murmured, rubbing his sideburn slightly as he realized that there was definitely a technological gap between his words and the way she translated them in her mind. "Well, at least you didn't comment on the tuning fork," he muttered. "Anyway... your cousin can't possibly really want your possessions. So, let's go get them."

"I was going to ask you what a tuning fork is. The only forks I know of are when a road splits... but how that has anything to do with 'tuning'..." She shrugged. "Um... about my cousin. He's a bit... well... odd."

"Odd boy, your cousin Boyne?" he questioned with a grin.

She looked down, somewhat embarrassed. "Well, you'll find out soon enough. The reason he didn't want to give me my clothes is... he likes to dress in them. Not just mine, though. Any women's clothing." She quickly added, "But only in the house. He'd never be seen outside like that."

The Doctor's grin widened. "Really? Medieval cross-dresser. There's something that never occurred to me, though I imagine it happened every once in a while. Nero liked to dress in women's clothing too. Odd fellow he was." He winced slightly. "Probably shouldn't have accidentally burned his plans for the new Rome. Gave him the idea for the great fire."

She looked at him with awe. "You've been to Rome? I once saw a Roman soldier before they left our lands."

"Oh, I've been there a couple of times."

As they were approaching the house, she moved towards it with trepidation. "Boyne said I should never come back."

"Well, it isn't like you're moving back in," the Doctor commented, stepping ahead of her to knock on the door.

A gruff voice yelled out. "Go away!"

"'Fraid I can't do that," the Doctor replied to the voice.

"If you don't leave now, you'll get my staff across your head!"

"You know, I don't think I've ever had a staff across my head," the Doctor told his latest companion as he put his hand on the door handle. Noting that the door was locked, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "Well, not for a while now," he corrected, adjusting settings on the device.

"What is that strange thing?" she asked.

"Sonic screwdriver," he answered her. "Very handy in getting in through locked doors." Aiming it at the lock, he pressed the button, causing a blue light to shine on it, a high-pitched whine sounding in their ears. "That ought to do it," he announced. He turned the handle and pushed the door open.

A rather tall thin woman stood in the main room, her back to the door. At least, the person was dressed like a woman. As they walked in, she turned and it became obvious... this was no female. The full beard made that quite clear. The Doctor smirked at the sight of the man in the blouse and skirt, looking at him from head to toe. "You know, the effect would be much better if you shaved the beard off. That is, of course, unless you are planning on joining one of the traveling shows around here. I'm sure they could use a bearded lady in their entourage."

"You can't come in here like this!" the man bellowed. He noticed his cousin standing back behind the man in strange attire. "What did you bring that little cur here for?

The Time Lord frowned at his choice of words. "Her name is Galadriel. And I believe you have a few things that belong to her, including that rather fetching outfit you're wearing."

"This is my house and my possessions free and clear. She's lucky I let her take what she has on her back."

The Gallifreyan looked around the house, walking around and picking up a few items to look at them. "Really? Have proof of that, do you?"

"I can get the priest. He heard the last rites of her father. Everything passed to me."

"Oh, I seriously doubt that her father left his only child..." He looked to the girl for a moment. "I am right in assuming that you are an only child, correct?" He continued without waiting for an answer. "...without anything at all, no matter that the laws are barbaric enough not to let women own land."

"Yes. I was the only child in my family," Galadriel told him. "They wanted more children, but my mother couldn't carry any others. They said it was a miracle I was born."

"It was not miracle. It was a curse," growled Boyne.

The Gallifreyan glared at him. "If there is a curse in this house, it's your presence," he told him darkly. "You may by law own the house and the land and even the animals on it, but you do not own what belongs to the last living member of the family of your uncle and aunt." Without taking his eyes off of the man, he spoke to Galadriel. "Go collect your things."

Boyne started to step in front of her. "No! Nothing in this house belongs to her."

"Oh, really? And that skirt you're wearing belongs to you, does it?"

The young woman gave a half grin. "Actually, that one does belong to him. Although it is my blouse."

The Doctor grinned at her words. "Right, then." He turned to Boyne. "Take off the blouse," he ordered.

"No. You can't make me."

The Doctor nodded slightly. "That's probably true. But I seriously doubt that your reputation would remain unscathed if it should come out that you prefer to dress in a dress rather than in britches."

The cousin's face turned white. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, faster than you can say miniskirt," the Gallifreyan countered. "Of course, if you were to generously allow your cousin to retrieve her possessions from the house, I might be... persuaded to remain silent about your... unusual form of entertainment."

Boyne glared at his cousin. "What are you planning on taking, Glad?"

She sighed. "I'd like the sewing box of mother's, my clothes, Father's flute, and Grandmother's shawl."

"And two days worth of food as well as enough money to pay for rooms in town," the Doctor added.

The cross-dresser shook his head. "No, that's too much!"

"Right, then." Without hesitation, the Doctor walked over to the door and looked around. "Galadriel, which way is the nearest neighbor? Might as well start letting everyone know about your cousin's little hobby."

Boyne's head hung down. "Fine. Take it. Make me a pauper."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh, please! You've got enough to live on for the next three weeks without even working! Glad - I like that nickname! Glad! - has nothing! The least you can do is make sure she doesn't starve to death in the next two days." He turned to the girl. "Go collect what you came for."

She smiled and quickly went to get the items she wanted. As she left, the Doctor turned towards Boyne. "Now... the money and food."

Glad's cousin looked at the man with narrowed eyes. "What gives you the right to tell me to do any of this? I've never seen your like in this realm."

The Time Lord looked down on him with a glare. "I'm Sir Doctor of TARDIS, a noble knight of Britain. That gives me the right."

"Sir Doctor... of TARDIS?" Boyne looked at him with distain. "You're making that up."

"You are walking on a very thin line with me, Boyne," the Doctor told him darkly. "I honestly don't care if you believe me or not. But I do promise you... I have His Majesty's ear and when he hears how you sent your own cousin into the wilderness to fend for herself without even the means to find proper shelter, you'll lose far more than a few pieces of clothing, a loaf of bread, and a couple of tuppence."

Feeling the hard, glaring stare of the now very angry Sir Doctor, Boyne swallowed tightly. "Yes, sir. Just a moment, sir." He went to a cupboard and pulled out a pouch. He walked over to his cousin and counted out the coins ordered. He was about to close the pouch when he glanced over to the strange knight and pulled out two more small coins. "I'm giving you a little extra, just to show I'm a reasonable man."

The Doctor watched silently, his eyes never straying from the transvestite as the latter gave Glad the money before also giving her a few loaves of bread, enough to last at least three days.

"Right, then!" he announced loudly, walking over to the girl with a smile. "Got everything, Glad?"

She marched to the wall and took a tapestry off of it. Laying it on the floor, she rolled her possessions in it.

Boyne watched her. "That too?"

"My mother made it. I'd like to have it as well." She turned to the Doctor. "My mother was very good at the needle arts."

"Yes, so I see," the Doctor agreed. "All right, then. The tapestry too."

The medieval man signed deeply. "I suppose you'll want the wheelbarrow to push that in as well," he said snidely.

"Nah, I can carry it for her," the Time Lord told him. "Besides, that wheelbarrow is filthy. Don't you keep your equipment in good condition? Keep up at the rate you're going, you'll drive this farm to the ground in no time." He turned to Glad. "Come on. We've interrupted your cousin for long enough. Better let him continue to strut around the house, wishing he were a woman."

Boyne spoke up loudly. "I don't want to be a woman! I just like to dress like one!"

"That's the spirit, Boyne! Deniability!" He gave the man a wide grin. "Thanks for your hospitality and generosity. We'll be on our way now."

The man growled lowly, obviously not believing that anyone would hear him. "And good riddance."

The Doctor turned around at his words. "Take my advice. Attitude like that will only get you into trouble." Reaching over, he gently took Glad's load from her and started up the road back towards Camelot.

As they walked, Glad turned to the man. "Are you really Sir Doctor of TARDIS?"

"Absolutely!" the Gallifreyan insisted. "Was knighted by a queen and everything. Of course, she did banish me directly afterwards. Some reward for saving her life."

"Banished? That doesn't sound very nice, especially if you saved her life." She was thoughtful for a bit. "I've never had a knight come to my rescue before. Thank you."

"My pleasure," he replied with a wide grin. "So, now that you've retrieved what belongs to you, what will you do?"

She shrugged. "What can I do? I'll have to hire myself out, I suppose. I'm handy with a needle myself. My mum taught me that. And I know how to milk a cow and tend sheep. Perhaps those skills will be valuable to someone."

"Possibly," the Doctor agreed, looking at her. Once again, he was struck with how similar this young woman was to his own granddaughter. Thinking of her spending the rest of her life as someone's servant... well, it just didn't seem right to him. There was so much potential just waiting under the surface, begging to be released. In fact, she was almost otherworldly. Time seemed to swirl about her, as if she and he were meant to meet. He didn't really believe in destiny but, in this case, he would be remiss if he didn't act on his instincts. "Or... you could come with me... when I leave Camelot... if you want."

"Where are you going?" she asked. "You've just arrived."

"Well, I'm going to stay for a bit. Want to meet Merlin," he explained. "But after that... well, I left a friend behind in Egypt and need to pick him up before going to retrieve a groom and take him to his bride. Odd couple that, but I've seen odder. Is that a word? Odder? Sounds too much like otter."

"Egypt? I've heard of that strange place in stories. Is it true they have magicians and that they wrap their dead in linen strips?"

"Oh, yes. Everything about it is different than anything you have ever seen," the Doctor told her. "From what I know of you already, you'd probably love it."

Glad bit her lip. "I've only known this place all of my life." She looked around. "I guess, though, there's not much for me here." She looked concerned and said hesitantly, "Would... you... want me to... um... be your... um..." She blushed deeply, "...mistress?"

"What?!" the Time Lord exclaimed, stopping in his tracks with an astonished look on his face. "No! That... that isn't what... I mean, I would never even think to... I mean, not that you aren't attractive..." He sighed. "What is it with teenagers thinking that I'm interested in them in that way?"

She looked at him, confused, but relieved that he didn't want her that way. "No. I was just afraid that was why you were helping me." Continuing down her line of thought, she asked, "What would my role be, then, if I came with you?" Her face lit up as she thought of something she might be able to do. "I do know how to cook some. Papa used to tell me I made the best cottage pie he'd ever eaten."

"Well, you could make that some night. But only if you want to," the Doctor answered, plainly relieved that he hadn't made a complete fool of himself a moment ago. He noticed the confused look on Glad's face grow, if that were possible. Looking into her eyes, he gave her a gentle smile. "Galadriel, where I come from, women can do anything, be anything they want to be. And... well, you remind me of my granddaughter." He paused wistfully. "She was so full of life, so... stubborn. Like her father." He focused on Glad again. "You have so much potential. I just want to see you become the woman I know you can be."

"Anything?" She was thoughtful. "A woman could be a knight? A priest? Own land?"

"Oh, yes! Well, not a knight, per se, but the historical equivalent. As for a priest... well, that depends on which religion you choose. And women owning land is extremely common. But, there are far more occupations out there to choose from. You could be a scientist, a teacher, even the leader of a country. Gender isn't an obstacle."

"The land of TARDIS sounds marvelous!"

The Doctor grimaced slightly. "Well, the TARDIS isn't exactly a land. It's more like a ship."

"A ship?" She frowned slightly. "I don't know how to swim."

"You don't have to know how to swim to travel in her. She can go anywhere. Literally absolutely anywhere. And she's been my home for a very very long time." He grinned at her. "Want to see her?"

Glad looked confused. "We're going to the ocean?"

The Doctor shook his head. "She's sort of... dry-docked just over that ridge and on the far side of the castle. Bit of an extra walk but... I do have to warn you, though. You could be in for a bit of a shock. But I think you can handle it, intelligent young woman that you are."

Glad nodded. "All right. If it is your home, I would like to see it."

"Brilliant!"


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

The two travelers walked in amicable silence for a long while, going past the castle walls and towards the ridgeline. Just on the other side, they saw an odd blue structure. "There she is!" the Time Lord announced. "Hello, you beautiful ship!"

Glad looked around. "Where? All I see is a blue box."

"She _is _the blue box," he told her with a proud grin.

"Doesn't look like it would float on water," Glad commented shaking her head.

He shrugged. "Sometimes she doesn't... when she's a bit moody. But she's always water tight."

"This is all very strange. A knight wearing such odd attire, a ship that is a blue box and can go anywhere and has moods, a land where women can be anything. It's like one of the stories the troubadours tell."

The Gallifreyan grinned at her words. "Come on," he instructed as they approached the TARDIS. He pulled out a key and inserted it into the keyhole. Opening the door, he slowly swung it open. "Go on in," he told her. Seeing the look on her face, he tilted his head. "I know it looks a bit intimate from out here but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

She walked in hesitantly, expecting to find a small space. As she moved into the cavern, her eyes grew wide. "It's like they tell of Merlin's cave!" she exclaimed in awe.

"Is it?" the Time Lord questioned, following her into the ship. "Huh. His cave must look bigger on the inside. Obviously that is a case of a trick of the light or a small entrance leading to a big cavern." He leaned against one of the support columns. "Welcome to the TARDIS, Galadriel. T.A.R.D.I.S. Stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space. She's dimensionally transcendental." Seeing the frown on her face, he said, "Basically means she's bigger on the inside."

"It's beautiful!" she squealed. She walked up to a wall and ran her hand gently along it. "I like TARDIS!"

The color in the console room shifted slightly, causing the Doctor to grin. "And apparently, she likes you too."

"She?" Glad looked confused again. "The ship is alive?"

He gave the support beam a gentle stroke of his hand. "Oh, yes."

"I feel like I'm in a fairy tale."

"Well, I hope it's one with a happy ending for all, unlike those written by the Grimm Brothers. People cutting off limbs or vivisecting wolves..." Again, he noticed the look on Glad's face. "Right, you never heard of them. Well, they aren't exactly the best reading material in the universe. Not sure you'd enjoy them."

Glad looked down. "I don't know how to read anything."

The Doctor seemed to look inwardly at her words. "Right. Woman in the Middle Ages. Of course, you would be illiterate." He gave her a smile. "Not to worry. I'll teach you."

"You'll teach me to read? Really?" she said with eyes opening wide with wonder.

"Wouldn't be the first time I taught someone how to read," he told her. "I can teach you how to swim too, if you want. Have a pool somewhere in here. Haven't used it in a long while."

"A pool?"

"It's... it's sort of like an indoor lake only cleaner."

"Oh. How strange to have a lake inside the blue box."

"You get used to it," he commented. He straightened up considerably. "Oh, forgot to tell you. The TARDIS not only goes to different countries, it also goes to different worlds... different times." He wondered how her 6th century mind could handle the concept of time travel. Jamie had a bit of a time accepting it himself and he was from the 18th century. Perhaps her mind was open, like Leela. Simple and slightly savage but honest and true.

"I don't understand," she told him bluntly.

He scratched his sideburn slightly. "Yes, I can see how that would be a little confusing for you. Temporal physics aren't exactly even a theory yet for your people." He walked over to the captain's chair and gestured towards it. "Have a seat," he offered as he leaned against the console.

She followed his request. "You say we'll visit more than countries. What else is there? The priests talk of other lands but they seem so... well, not part of our lives." She picked up a strange yellow object sitting on the seat. "This looks like... a toy duckling... but it feels so strange. It doesn't feel like wood." Giving it a squeeze, she dropped it as a "squeekee" came out of it. "It talks!"

"Umm... well... sort of. Not really," the Doctor told her. Seeing the alarm on her features, he took touched her shoulder. "It's okay. It's just a toy."

"So it won't hurt me?" Getting a shake of his head, she retrieved it slowly and then squeezed it again, this time smiling with joy at the result. "I will call it Squee." Now holding the toy, she asked him again, "What of these lands you were telling me about?"

The Time Lord gave her a little smile, pleased to see that she seemed attached to the toy. Upon her question, he refocused his thoughts. "You know the stars in the sky that you see at night? All those little points of light shining? Each one of those little points of light is a sun. Very much like the sun you see in the sky in the morning."

She tilted her head. "They aren't jewels that God put in the heavens to shine for us? That's what the priests say."

"Oh, a jewel can be made of many things," he told her. "And if you believe there is a god then, yeah, I suppose he did put them there to sparkle for us." He paused for a long moment. "But even the priests aren't as all knowing as they claim to be. The Sun and the stars don't orbit the Earth. This little blue and green marble isn't the center of the universe."

She blinked a few times and then shrugged. "Okay. I guess if we go to visit these things, I'll learn what is out there."

The Doctor's eyes widened slightly at her acceptance of his words. "Th... that's it? You just... believe me?"

"I don't have any reason I shouldn't. You've been a kind and fair knight and you obviously are a learned man. Besides, you've offered to teach me to read and to see things I have never seen before... and you gave me a toy. Once I see these things for myself, I'll know what to believe."

The Gallifreyan blinked for a moment. "Well..." he finally said. "That was probably the easiest sell I've ever made in my lives. I suppose that means... you want to travel with me."

She nodded. "Oh, yes. If I am in a fairy tale and have been enchanted, I don't think I want to waken from the spell. Without you, I'd have nothing. Now I have a beautiful ship to sail in, I'm going to learn to read and - most importantly - I have a new friend." She smiled at the alien, giving the duck another squeeze.

The grin on the Time Lord's face could have lit the whole room without the need for power. "Right then!" he exclaimed. "What time is it? Six o'clock? Six-thirty? Just enough time to change for dinner." Hurrying back to where he had left Glad's possessions, he snatched them and then, heading for the interior door, grabbed her hand so that she would follow. "Brief tour of the TARDIS later. Have to warn you, though. When she gets in a mood, she likes to change the layout."

Glad allowed herself to be lead. She wasn't entirely sure what Sir Doctor had just said but figured, she'd understand eventually. For now, she just knew enough to trust him.

"Ah! Here we are!" he announced triumphantly, opening a door with a flourish. "Your own room!" He stepped in and carefully placed the filled tapestry on the bed. "If there's anything you want to change, just let me know."

She looked around, eyes wide. "This is my room? It's beautiful! And big!"

"You think so?" he questioned, looking around. "I suppose it is. Never really noticed. Not much decoration in here."

She looked at him wryly. "Remember, Sir Doctor, I've been living in a stable. This place is like a palace."

"It's just Doctor, no Sir," he corrected her gently. "I don't use that title unless I have to."

"So, you wish me to call you Doctor?"

He nodded. "Yeah, just... the Doctor."

"Alright then, Doctor it is." She let out a breath. "So what do we do now?"

"Now..." he said. "We find you suitable clothing for dinner with His Majesty."

She blinked. "I'm having dinner with the King?"

"Yup, you're my plus one."

"What's a plus one?"

He stopped for a moment, a slight frown on his face. "Umm... it's like when you invite someone over and ask them to bring another guest with them, like their wife or girlfriend or friend or... Anyway, I'm having dinner and I'm taking you as my guest. Figured if you're going to be traveling with me, you might as well jump in feet first."

She suddenly reached over and hugged him. She had tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you."

He returned the hug with a broad grin. "My pleasure," he told her genuinely. "Let's go pick out your outfit, shall we?"

Smiling, she agreed as she brushed off her tears of happiness. "Yes. Yes, let's do that." She started to follow him, telling the duck in her hands, "Squee, we're going to dinner with the king."

The Gallifreyan paused, noting her words. "Umm... Glad? Maybe Squee should stay. I don't think His Majesty would appreciate a rubber duck sitting on his banquet table."

Glad's eyes went from the Doctor to Squee and back. "But..." With a sigh, she put her new friend next to the tapestry. "I suppose you're right. I've never been to the King's hall but as a knight you must know the ways of the court." As she followed the Gallifreyan out of the room, she called to Squee, "I promise, I'll be back."

As the Doctor guided Glad to the wardrobe, he wondered about the girl's attachment to the toy. In Medieval England, sixteen was considered old enough to be a consenting adult and yet she seemed to be innocent while still understanding her own sexuality. It was a contradiction that he found quite endearing. When they arrived at their destination, he helped her find the medieval dresses before going to the other side of the great room, giving the girl the privacy she needed to choose an outfit. The Doctor himself had his own concerns to attend to and they had nothing to do with dressing for a dinner. He'd noticed earlier that day, as he was walking her to the TARDIS, an odd feeling in the back of his head, like a bee buzzing around near his ear. He hadn't had the time then to investigate the odd sensation but now, while Glad was busy trying on outfits, he took the moment.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, almost like an Indian guru from the 1960s (only without the robes to match), he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing his attention on the sensation. The more he focused, the more he realized that it wasn't a natural phenomenon, like background radiation in the Earth's atmosphere caused by a volcano erupting on the other side of the planet. No, this sensation was alien in origin... but only vaguely so. It was strange and yet comforting, like putting on a pair of shoes you hadn't worn since you were a teenager. What was more, it was most definitely telepathic. That, in itself, worried him. Alien and telepathic, no matter how comforting it felt to him, couldn't be good.

He didn't notice the figure standing over him until it was practically on top of him. Opening his eyes, he looked up... and his jaw dropped. "Galadriel! You're gorgeous!" he exclaimed.

She grinned shyly. "Thank you. I've never worn anything this heavy in my whole life." She nodded to the brocade. "Is this real gold thread?"

The Doctor quickly stood to take a better look. "Um... yeah. Bought it at a Renaissance festival on Proximus Two for a friend of mine. But I must say that you look absolutely incredible in it!" He paused for a moment. "Just one thing, though," he told her, gently removing the shawl she had put on her head. "Peasants wear shawls. Ladies wear headdresses," he told her. He jogged to a large jewelry box and pulled out an intricate headdress of chainmail and bead. Putting it on her head and adjusting it to fit her, he nodded. "There."

She looked somewhat uncomfortable wearing the strange headpiece. "I'm glad you know what I'm supposed to do." Her features showed her fear. "You'll stay with me? I've never been before royalty." Her lips turned to a lopsided grin. "I've never even had an audience before the King to plead for justice."

"Oh, you'll be great," he assured her. "I'll be right beside you the whole time." He offered her his hand. "Come on. Got a treat for you. First trip in the TARDIS."

She tilted her head. "I thought you said the ship was in dry-dock."

"I said it was sort of dry-dock," he corrected. "Fact is, the TARDIS doesn't need water to travel. Doesn't even need ground or air. She disappears here, reappears there. And that is exactly what we are going to do."

For just a moment, Glad looked frightened. "If the ship disappears, won't we disappear too?"

The Doctor nodded slightly. "Yeah. Well, according to any cows that may be watching. We'll be safe in the TARDIS." Seeing how frightened she seemed to be, he looked at her gently. "Trust me. I've been doing this for a long time now. Still intact." He guided her back to the console room and nodded towards the door. "Go ahead and take a peek outside. But then close the door right away as they can't stay open while we're moving."

She walked over to the door that had led her to this wonderland and opened it, seeing the pastureland where the TARDIS had been found by Sir Hugh. She closed the door again. "What now?"

The Doctor stood by the console, inputting coordinates as she looked out the door. At her question, he grinned. "Hold onto something. She likes to make things interesting for the first trip." He threw a switch and suddenly the room shook slightly, the crystal-like time rotor move up and down in time to the shaking.

Glad did as she was told, but even so, the jostling made her lose her balance and she fell, her skirts flying over her head. The light scream she made caused the Doctor to hurry to her side, helping her to her feet just as the TARDIS landed, sending them both to the floor again.

The Doctor laughed slightly, pointing to the time rotor. "You did that on purpose, cheeky girl," he berated teasingly before standing and helping Glad to her feet.

"I didn't. I... I couldn't hold on. I tried, really I did..."

"What?" the Doctor questioned with a frown. "Oh... oh, no no no no no. I was talking to the TARDIS. She really made it rough for you, I'm afraid." He gave her a gentle smile. "Don't worry about it. Happens to the best of us."

"It's okay. I'm sure she didn't mean too."

"Oh, she meant it," the Doctor told her. "But only out of love. Kind of like putting a frog in your sister's lunch sack." He gestured towards the door. "After you, Lady Galadriel."

"A frog in a... lunch sack? A live one?" She shook her head. "You are a strange man, Doctor."

"Yeah. Well... you aren't the first person to tell me that in the last month."

She opened the door, expecting the same scene to be before her as she still wasn't sure she believed that this box could travel, as the Doctor said, through time and space. She was greatly surprised to find herself inside the castle at Camelot. "We're here! We're really here!"

"We're here," the Time Lord agreed, following her out of the TARDIS. "Twenty minute walk in less than three minutes. Not bad, eh? Didn't even get your dress all muddy." He closed the door behind him and locked it just as a figure turned the corner. "Well, well, well. Sir Huuuuuuuuuuuugh!" he greeted with a smile. "Fancy seeing you here. Thought you'd be out avoiding your duties."

"Where have you been?!" he cried. "And how did you get that blue box here? It was left in the field." He noticed the woman in the rich dress. "Is this your Lady? Did you keep her locked in that thing?" he said pointing to the TARDIS.

"She's a friend," the Doctor corrected. "Invited her to join me for dinner with His Majesty. I'm sure he won't mind."

Hugh grunted. "Well, you must have brought her with you. I've never seen the likes of her around here."

Glad spoke up. "Yes, you did, Sir Hugh. I was here to speak with the King. You told me just today that I had to wait my turn."

He looked at her closer and recognition dawned. "You're that peasant girl." He regarded her for a moment. "Found yourself a knight to keep warm at night, did you?" He winked at the Doctor. "Now I know why you stopped to talk with her. She cleans up nicely."

Glad's face turned red. "No... I... I..."

The Doctor's smile faded with his words as he stood nose to nose with the knight. "I have said it once. She's a friend. That's all. There is nothing happening between us and, quite frankly, I am offended that you would treat a lady in such a manner. As for having her wait for four days to see His Majesty... do you always neglect your duties as a Knight of the Round Table?" He looked at him from head to toe. "Apparently, you need to be more than a chevalier to be chivalrous."

Sir Hugh blinked for a moment. "You can't talk to me in that fashion!"

A man's voice was heard. It was obvious he was used to being listened to. "What has this man said other than to defend the rights of one of the King's citizens?" The man who spoke was dressed in simple but elegant clothing that had a sort of other worldly cut to them. Around his neck was a pendant in the shape of the Eye of Horus.

Sir Hugh looked worried. "Um... Merlin... um... yes, you're quite right. I should be more... um... well..."

Merlin sighed. "Just try not to do it again, Sir Hugh. I really don't want to turn you into something like a... oh... I don't know... a newt!"

The errant knight's eyes flew open. "No, sir. Of course not." He bowed deeply to the peasant turned lady. "Excuse me, ma'am. I meant no disrespect."

Merlin spoke under his breath. "Like hell you didn't." Smiling, he looked up. "Now, doesn't that make you feel better? Why don't you announce us, hmmm?"

"And what names shall I use for the newcomers?"

The Doctor had frozen when the newcomer had spoken. But it wasn't his words or his voice that had caused his state. It was the sudden feeling in the back of his head, pounding as if someone had just struck him with the heaviest rock they could find. Turning slowly, he looked upon the man, staring at him even as Sir Hugh identified him. "Merlin," he murmured as if the conversation between Sir Hugh and the wizard hadn't happened.

Arthur's wizard, or so history had painted him, turned to the Doctor. "Well, you know my name, but I'm afraid I'm at a loss for yours... or your lady's."

"Um..." the Time Lord started. "I'm... I'm the Doctor and this is... Lady Galadriel." He gestured towards Glad but his eyes were still on Merlin as if he were looking for something in particular.

At their names, Merlin gestured for Hugh to do as he was instructed before looking at the Time Lord somewhat strangely as if remembering something. "You are the man that Arthur wanted me to meet." He looked towards Glad. "He didn't say in the summons that you had a lovely lady with you as well."

"Recently met her, became fast friends," the Doctor admitted. "I hope that His Majesty will not mind her joining us."

"Oh, no. I believe he will be as enchanted with her company as I am." As the wizard assured the Doctor, the voice of Sir Hugh announcing them to the room was heard.

"Ladies and Lords. I present to you Merlin, the Doctor, and Lady Galadriel."

"I guess that's our cue," smiled Merlin, nodding to the door.

"After you, sir," the Doctor stated. As he watched Merlin go ahead of him, he offered his arm to Glad. "Shall we?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

From the center of the table, King Arthur stood, smiling. "Ah, Merlin, I see you've met the interesting man that graced our court today. He's an enigma. Just like you." He then turned his eyes on Glad. "Welcome, Lady Galadriel." He turned to Guinevere. "Perhaps she would like to join you and your maids."

Glad's eyes flew wide. "No... I mean... I wouldn't know how... um..."

"Um... forgive me, Your Majesty, but the Lady Glad has already decided to join me in my travels," the Doctor put in on behalf of his new friend. Feeling her hand clinging to him, he added, "And I believe it would be best that she stayed by my side."

"Lady Glad. That is an interesting diminutive. Seems to fit her well," Guinevere stated kindly.

"Indeed," the Gallifreyan agreed. "She has a very cheery personality. I, for one, I'm... glad... I met her." He smiled at his own double-entendre.

Being complimented in front of the King caused the young woman to blush deeply. Although it was certainly an honor to be one of Guinevere's maidens, she did not wish to do so. "And I am glad to have met him. I would like to stay with Sir Doctor."

The King smiled reassuringly. "Of course, you may stay with your knight." He turned to her champion. "Sir Doctor?" he questioned, remembering that the Doctor had not introduced himself as a knight before to him.

"A formal title given to me by a queen in a distant land, Your Majesty," the Doctor answered.

"Ah. That explains it. Well, Sir Doctor, you and your Lady shall sit by my side."

"It would be our honor, Your Majesty," the Doctor said with a nod.

Merlin had taken his normal seat, which was positioned so that he could see all that went on in the great hall. His hawk-like eyes took in the faces. "I was told by the Lady of the Lake to watch for a doctor in strange dress. Perhaps you know of the Lady?"

Guiding Glad to her chair, the Doctor held it out for her before taking his own seat. "The Lady of the Lake," he commented. "I thought she was just a story."

"Not a story. A real woman. You remind me of her. Similar... attributes."

"Really? What sort of attributes?"

Merlin smiled. "If I said what those were, those around us might be surprised... or perhaps frightened." He tilted his head. "Did you know that my father was said to be a demon? He had two hearts, you know."

The Doctor looked into Merlin's eyes. "Did he?" he stated somberly, feeling his own two hearts beating under his ribcage. "An unusual attribute, that. Not a lot of humans with two hearts," he added, feeling the press in the back of his head growing.

"Indeed. But there were those who said that he was not quite human. People say my father is the source of my magic. Isn't that right, Sir Hugh?" Merlin stated, aiming a jab at the not-so-chivalrous knight.

Sir Hugh gave a sick smile but didn't answer. He just sat taller in his chair and stopped running his hand along the serving girl's backside.

"And you don't have two hearts? Nothing inherited from dear ol' dad?" the Doctor questioned with interest.

"Not two hearts, but I suppose breathing underwater might have come from my paternal side."

The Time Lord frowned, looking at him as if he had a second head. "You can breathe underwater? Never heard of that ability before," he murmured mostly to himself.

"It is helpful sometimes."

"I'm sure that it does. And how's your mental abilities? I've heard stories about how you have precognitive abilities."

Merlin laughed. "Don't you know? I was born in the future and I've been growing younger ever since. If you've been there, it's not hard to know what time will tell us."

"Ah, but there's more to it than that, isn't there? I've heard that you can actually read a man's soul."

"That's not as hard as one may think. The eyes are the key to a man's... or woman's... soul."

"Can you read my soul, Merlin?" the Time Lord asked the wizard, still unsure about the man in front of him. On the one hand, the conversation led him to believe that perhaps this man might be of Gallifreyan ancestry, especially if 'breathing underwater' was just a euphemism for a respiratory bypass system. However, knowing that all other Time Lords had died during the Last Great Time War, he felt certain that this couldn't be. The only other possibility was that Merlin knew he was a Time Lord, but that made no sense unless he had known Time Lords before. It was a puzzle that was giving him pause.

"I know that you've seen much and are much wiser than one would gather from your apparent youth," Merlin replied to the Doctor's challenge, a knowing smile on his face.

"That can be said of many men in this room. Like His Majesty, for example." The Doctor gave a slight grin. "Or do you think that I too was born in the future?"

"Future or past. It's all the same to one that has dominion over time."

The Doctor felt his hair standing on the back of his neck at Merlin's response. Swallowing slightly, he questioned, "So, are you saying that you are a Lord of Time?" Looking down as a plate was placed before him, he suddenly grinned. "Oh! Roasted pig! I love a good roast! Don't you?"

"Me?" Merlin asked. "Yes to the roast. However, to your other question, the answer is no. I would never claim such a high honor although the Lady of the Lake once said that all time and space was hers to journey through."

Glad looked to her new friend, surprised to see his face pale. "Are you feeling well, Sir Doctor?" Her concern was fully evident on her face.

"Just Doctor, no sir," the Time Lord replied automatically. The wizard's words rattled through his mind, making him unaware of what he had said.

Merlin smiled at the man, having seen Arthur frown slightly at the statement. "But when in Rome... or Camelot as the case may be... titles can be important."

Realizing that he had erred, the Gallifreyan's eyes widened slightly. "Umm... yes. Of course. Must keep up proper appearances." Still, he was having difficulty coping with what Merlin had said using phrases only they would understand. Could it be that the Lady of the Lake was a Time Lord? His mind wanted to reject the idea but, at the same time, his emotions clung to the sudden hope that perhaps he was not as alone as he had believed. He knew that there had to be a definitive explanation and, knowing that the wizard had it, he decided that he would have a talk with Merlin after dinner.

Arthur was appeased by the Doctor's words and let him know that he was honored to be dining with a knight of a distant realm. The meal continued to be served. The King had made it a point that he and his Queen would receive their meals last and they were finally presented with their plates. During the time that the Doctor and Merlin were sparing, Arthur had been speaking kindly to Glad. A page entered the room and came up behind him. He excused himself and turned to the page, talking to him quietly. When finished, he turned to the Doctor. "I understand your full title is 'Sir Doctor of TARDIS.' Is that correct?"

The Doctor turned to the King, surprised by the question. "Didn't mention the TARDIS part but... Yeah," he agreed. "That's my title." A look of realization crossed his face. "This doesn't have to do with a smarmy cross-dressing farmer by the name of Boyne, does it?"

Arthur's forehead creased, noting the Doctor's comment about wearing clothing with a cross upon it. "I'm not aware if the man is extremely religious or not," he responded, misunderstanding the cultural reference. "However, an accusation has been made that you stole from this farmer. That you entered his abode and ordered him to release property including money."

Glad looked down. "Do not blame the good Sir Doctor, sire. He was trying to help me."

"Help you? What help would you need against a farmer and why would he have to steal to do so?"

Glad looked up at her sovereign. "Sire. I'm only a poor farmer myself, or at least I was until my cousin - the Boyne being spoken about..." She ignored the slight grin her words had brought to the Doctor's face. "...threw me out of my home. I'd spent the last four days coming to your court to seek justice. Sir Doctor took it upon himself to have Boyne return my few possessions and to obtain money for me to live until I could find employment."

The Doctor gave a gentle smile to Glad before looking into the King's eyes. "I saw an injustice so I acted. And I suppose that technically I did enter his home and ordered him to release property. And I did suggest that he might want to be generous and give her enough to survive on her own for the next couple of days. But, Your Majesty, what else was I supposed to do? Allow Sir Hugh to pass her over for a fifth day while I, who only just arrived, was able to have an audience with you the moment I entered the court?"

Arthur shook his head and stood up. Looking around at the knights and their ladies who were supping at his table. His face was stern and yet sad. "Do you not yet understand what I'm trying to build here in Camelot? Do you not understand that all of our citizens deserve justice, not just the nobles? All who live within my realm, be they poor peasants and farmers or be they men and women of wealth and privilege, deserve to share in our society of fairness and charity. If all do not enjoy the fruits of our reign, then it is only a sham."

"But, sire," Sir Hugh stated, "I was not denying her justice. I was on a hunt and..."

The King cut him off curtly. "Sir Hugh, if a citizen seeks justice from any of my knights, they should help them instead of hunting stag. This includes you. Duty before pleasure."

"Your Majesty, there were far more waiting for you than just her," the Doctor informed him. "There were at least fifty of the less fortunate of your kingdom being passed over because they were peasants. And none of your knights in the courtyard lifted a finger to aid them."

Hearing this, the King hung his head in shame that his dream of fair Camelot was not being realized. "I have been remiss," he said, taking the responsibility upon his shoulders. "All of you, hear me and understand. We are Knights of the Round Table. God has granted us this kingdom to act in His name. We must care for all, no matter their station. Tomorrow, I expect all knights to do the work that we have been given blessing to do." He turned to the Doctor. "Sir Doctor, you say you were knighted in a foreign land. I would like to knight you as well, under my dominion with Excalibur."

The Doctor's eyes widened slightly. "Really?" he questioned, his voice cracking slightly in surprise.

"You alone have chosen to take up the cause of the under trodden and provide justice. I will have Boyne stripped of his lands."

Glad shook her head. "No, Sire. Boyne may be cruel at times, but he is my blood. I will not need anything more as I will be leaving with Sir Doctor soon. Let Boyne keep the farm."

Arthur looked at the young woman and smiled. "Mercy? You wish to have mercy granted to one who had wronged you? What an extraordinary person you are. Your wish will be granted, Lady Glad."

The Doctor smiled approvingly at Glad's words. "I hope, Your Majesty, that your knights will take their cue from Lady Galadriel."

"They will. I will hold her as an example of what we are trying to accomplish here."

Guinevere stood and smiled as well. "My husband is wise. Ladies, take note of what has occurred. Support your husbands in these endeavors. Those who are unmarried, learn from the example that Lady Glad and Sir Doctor present."

Arthur grinned at his Queen. "Well said, Guinevere."

The Doctor leaned slightly so that only Glad would hear his words. "Looks like we're celebrities." He grinned widely at the blush on her face.

Arthur stood and retrieved his ever present Excalibur. "Sir Doctor, come before me." He looked to Glad as well. "And you also, Lady. Your show of mercy and kindness shall be rewarded."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows at the King's words and, taking Glad's hand, stood. "One never denies a summons from a just king," he told her, escorting her to the monarch's chair.

As the Gallifreyan approached the King, Arthur looked puzzled. "Sir Doctor, there is something I have wondered about. As a knight, I would expect that you would carry a sword and yet, both times I have seen you, you have not had one. Why is that?"

"I do not carry weapons, Your Majesty. Don't need them."

"You mean to tell me you were able to provide justice for this girl without a sword? That farmer Boyne simply acquiesced to you?"

"Well... a bit of subterfuge in the name of justice and a well-used sonic screwdriver does have its merits," came the response as the Gallifreyan pulled out the aforementioned device and tossed it in the air before catching it with a flourish. "I find the best weapon in the world is one's mind."

"A sonic screwdriver?" the King queried, testing the odd words. "You are a knight of unique abilities," he laughed heartily. "Please tell us how such a tool works."

The Doctor tilted his head from side to side. "Well... if Your Majesty insists..." He looked around the hall for a moment before his eyes caught the sight of Sir Hugh giving him a glare. "Sir Huuuuugh! Would you mind standing?"

"Why?" came the gruff answer.

"Sir Hugh," Arthur berated. "The Doctor obviously needs your assistance in showing us this sonic screwdriver's abilities. Surely you can accommodate him."

Frowning, the knight stood. "For you, Majesty." It was obvious he didn't fully trust the strange knight.

"Thank you," the Doctor told him. "And... if you could hold up your goblet as well." Noting Sir Hugh's reluctant compliance, the Time Lord straightened himself as he twisted the small tool, adjusting its settings. Aiming the sonic device at the goblet, he turned it on, causing the tip of the instrument to glow blue as a high pitched whine filled the room. Gradually, the goblet in Sir Hugh's hand heated up.

Sir Hugh huffed slightly at the Doctor's actions. "Your Majesty, this is obviously a fool's attempt to ridicule this court. I strongly suggest..." His words faded away and his eyes grew wide as he quickly looked down at his goblet, clearly stunned that it was now hot to touch. A moment later, he cried out, dropping the goblet and spilling the wine in it down the front of his tunic in the process. "Damn, man! See what you made me do!"

Arthur again laughed heartily, the rest of the room joining in seeing their King appreciating the jest. Only Sir Hugh was not amused. The King turned to the Gallifreyan. "Amazing! Not Excalibur, of course, but quite effective. Now I know exactly what name you deserve. Kneel, Sir Doctor and Lady Galadriel," he commanded, obviously pleased with the task before him. Before all the nobles present, he dubbed the Doctor a knight of his realm, giving him the title of Sir Doctor of the Blue Light. To Glad, with a smile he dubbed her Dame Galadriel of Camelot. Once this was done he again turned to the crowd. "We welcome Sir Doctor into our band of knights. Shall we ask him to stay?"

All but Sir Hugh showed their agreement with a hearty huzzah.

The Time Lord smiled at the show of support and waited until they had finished before speaking. "Majesty, I am greatly honored. Believe me, I am. It's just... well... I..." He pointed behind his back towards the hall where his blue box sat waiting for him.

Merlin spoke up, then, seeing the Time Lord's dilemma. "Arthur, as much as I believe Sir Doctor would be a boon to your kingdom, I know that he can do much good in the greater world. We should simply appreciate when he graces us with his presence."

Glad looked up at the Doctor, a small smile on her face. "Sir Doctor is a lonely angel, yes, but one should always allow angels to go wherever they are needed most."

The Doctor quickly turned his head towards the girl as she spoke, startled by her choice of words. Before he could say anything, the King made a pronouncement.

"Then we will eat and drink with our new friend tonight and hope he will choose to visit us again. Camelot is blessed to have such a friend. He is always welcome in the realm."

The rest of the meal went on, the mood of the nobles slightly subdued by having been taken to task by their sovereigns for shirking their duties yet awed by the new knight in their midst. Eager to show their acceptance of the Doctor and his lady, a more party-like atmosphere evolved and all had a grand time. After the meal, the minstrels came in to sing their tales of love and chivalry. One such song started with an almost otherwordly riff. The story began:

_"From far distant lands a lady weeps_

_She's lost the man for whom she keeps_

_Her heart so true, that British lass_

_She begs her voice be heard as Mass_

_The bad wolf howls and time stands still_

_As evil creeps upon one's will_

_The pain caused by the evil arts_

_Shall pierce the storm, destroy his hearts."_

The song continued but the Doctor's mind had stopped as soon as the second verse was sung, the lyrics ringing in his head. Bad Wolf, the minstrels had sung. It seemed those words kept coming up once again. He'd found the paper in the Chicago park. There was the hieroglyphic which Sam had translated as "bad Anubis," which actually made sense considering that the closest animal resembling a wolf to the ancient Egyptians was the jackal. The last time Bad Wolf appeared this prevalently, Rose had absorbed the time vortex and had spread the words throughout time. But she couldn't be doing so now; he'd removed the energy from her at the cost of his life. But if she was somehow spreading the words again, how was she doing it and why? What's more, what did this ballad mean?

Merlin moved closer to the Gallifreyan, pulling him from his daze as the minstrels finished their song. "So much meaning can come from such songs, don't you agree, Sir Doctor?"

The Time Lord turned his head towards the wizard, his eyes wide with trepidation. "Do you know what this means?" he questioned, noting the knowing expression on Merlin's face.

"We must talk, but not here," the enigmatic man told him plainly, meeting the alien's gaze.

The Doctor was not surprised at this point that the two of them had come to the same conclusion on their own. "Where?" he questioned.

"After the evening festivities are complete, come to my cave," the wizard instructed.

"And how would I find your cave?"

Merlin pulled out a rather intricately engraved stone. On it were Gallifreyan symbols. "This will lead you."

The Doctor stared at the stone thoughtfully, not noticing the wizard had walked away from him. He could feel Glad's attention shift from the minstrels to the stone he held.

"What is that?" she asked, curious. "It is very pretty."

The Time Lord didn't answer for a long moment. "A piece of home," he finally murmured. "We need to get to the TARDIS right after dinner."

She nodded and smiled. "Tonight has been magic. I'm almost afraid to go to sleep for fear I'll awake and find it's all been a dream."

"So am I," the Doctor replied honestly, his thoughts focused on the legend he had only met but whom he probably knew better than anyone in the room.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The Doctor smiled as he exited the banquet hall, making sure that Glad was following him. "That was a great meal. Wasn't that a great meal? With the roasted pig and dark bread and the custard. Oh, I love custard! Love it!" Walking to the TARDIS, he unlocked it. "You know what would definitely be the perfect topper right now? A cup of tea. A good cuppa's the perfect thing after a meal like that."

"Tea?" asked Glad. "Are you feeling ill?"

The Doctor frowned slightly at her words. "I'm fine. Why?" he asked as he walked into the time ship.

"Well, depending on what is ailing you, I might be able to find some leaves to steep. I'd need to know what's wrong, though," she replied, entering after him.

His eyes widened slightly at her words. "That's right. You lot don't get drinking tea for another thousand years. Well, then... you're in for another treat! Follow me. I hear the call of the kitchen!"

Glad shrugged and followed along. "It was a nice evening. I enjoyed hearing the minstrels. They were much better than the troubadours that we heard in our village."

"Yeah, they were rather good, weren't they?" the Doctor agreed as he led Glad further into the TARDIS, walking into a spacious kitchen very much resembling one from 21st century Earth. "Now, let's see... What kind of tea to serve you as your first taste of a cuppa?" He looked at her for a moment. "I know. Susan, my granddaughter, used to love this." He dug into the cabinets and pulled out a container before filling a pot with water and placing it on the stove. "We'll just let that come up to a boil for a bit and..." He again dug into a cabinet and brought out an aluminum tin, opening it before placing it on the table. "There you go! Biscuits!"

"What are biscuits?" she asked, looking at the small round and flat tan things in the painted metal box the Doctor had presented.

"Biscuits," he told her as if it were an answer to her question.

"But what are they?" she repeated, watching him take one from the box.

"They're... they're..." the Doctor started, wondering how to describe the Earth delicacy he was so fond of in this incarnation. "Well... they're good!" he finally said, biting into the biscuit in his hand as he turned to prepare the tea he was boiling.

Seeing him eating one, she reached in for a treat herself. She tentatively nibbled at it and her face suddenly lit up. "It's sweet!"

"Yeah," the Doctor replied with a grin. "Brilliant, isn't it? Mind you, you don't want to eat too many of them. One or two perhaps. Maybe three." He reached in and grabbed a handful.

She finished the one cookie and reached for another. She was fully enjoying it when her face became pensive. "Doctor? Now that you've met Merlin and we've been allowed to leave by the King, when will we actually go? Tomorrow?" she asked. There was a bit of trepidation in her voice.

"Oh, I don't know. Depends. But we'll know soon enough. Probably before the end of the night."

"Okay," she answered. With a nervous laugh she added, "I'm just a little scared about this, I guess. I've never been anywhere but here."

He smiled at her gently. "Believe me, I know exactly how you feel. I didn't always travel in time and space. First time I stepped in a TARDIS, I wondered if we'd ever get out of the time vortex. Silly fear, really. Knew we would. But... there's always the fear of the unknown."

She nodded. "Yes. I guess that's it." She again paused. "How many people have you traveled with in the past?"

He hesitated at her question. "Quite a few," he answered softly, seeing each of his companion's faces in his mind's eye as he prepped two mugs with milk. Turning back to the stove, he noted that the water was finally at full boil. Tossing a few tea bags in the water, he let them steep for a couple of minutes before pouring the result into the mugs and stirring a lump of sugar in each. Glancing over his shoulder to see Glad looking with interest at the tin of cookies, apparently wondering if she could have another, he reached into his jacket pocket and found, after a bit of searching, a pillbox. Pulling out said box, he opened it and retrieved two pills, crushing them into powder and dropping the powder into Glad's mug. Returning to the table, he presented her with her tea. "There you are. Your first proper cuppa. And by all means, have another biscuit!"

"A cuppa. I will have to remember that." She took the mug and smelled it before taking another of the treats out of the tin. "It smells nice. Do you drink this a lot?"

"All the time. Habit I picked up from my mother," he told her. "It's very popular with you lot in a thousand years or so. Tea houses everywhere. 'Course you get to like coffee as well but that's a bit too strong for my liking." He grimaced slightly. "I try to avoid it whenever possible."

She took a tentative sip. "It tastes interesting."

The Doctor took a drink, grabbing a cookie with his free hand. "Like I said, this one was Susan's favorite. But there are about a thousand different varieties and flavors and that's just here on Earth."

"Susan. You've mentioned her before. That's why you were startled at the meaning of my name," she stated, reiterating what they both knew. She smiled happily, munching on her latest cookie and drinking the tea. About five minutes later, she started to yawn. "I guess all the excitement today is catching up to me. Who would have thought this morning that I'd be a true Lady tonight?"

"Dame Galadriel," the Doctor agreed with a broad grin. "Has a lovely ring to it." He noted the sleepy look in her eyes, realizing that the drug he had slipped her was taking full effect. "You do look a bit tired. Tell you what? I'll escort you to your room and pull out some jimjams for you to wear. I'll even tuck you into bed." Standing from his seat, he noted a little bit of tea at the bottom of her mug. "Finish your tea, first," he instructed. Seeing her obey the order, he gently helped her to her feet and guided her through the TARDIS.

As Glad followed him, she yawned. "Is it far?" she questioned. "This ship seems much bigger now that I'm so tired."

"Not far. In fact, here we are!" he told her with a smile, happy that the TARDIS had accurately deduced what was in their best interests. "Oh, forgot to put your clothes away. We'll just save that for later," he told her as he pulled her filled tapestry off of the bed and put it gently in a corner. "Now... jammies..."

She sat down on the bed and found it felt different than what she expected. "How do you make your straw so bouncy?" Another yawn escaped her.

"Oh, it's... umm..." He scratched the back of his head. "I'll tell you later," he decided. Reaching into one of the dresser drawers, he pulled out a cotton nightgown. "Here we go. Nice and warm." He handed it over to her. "I'll just... step out for a minute and give you a chance to change before tucking you in."

A minute later, she called him. "Doctor. I've put on the dress."

Hearing her call out, he walked back into the room and blinked, seeing that she had put the nightgown over her chemise. "Umm... you're supposed to take everything off before putting on the nightgown."

"Everything?" Glad asked, tired but now suspicious. "But you said... you didn't..."

The Doctor grimaced, remembering the cultural differences between them. "I don't mean go completely naked. The nightgown is more like... like a fancy chemise. It's for sleeping in."

"But... this seems too fancy to be a chemise."

The Time Lord tilted his head slightly as if to concede the statement. "It is rather attractive, isn't it? But, trust me. Nightgowns themselves almost become fashion statements. All the ladies wear them in most civilizations. Even I have my own special clothing just for sleep. Don't wear it often but... that's me."

She looked down at her new chemise. "Yes. It's quite pretty. I guess I need to learn new ways." She walked over to the bed and crawled in between the covers. "It feels so soft. My bed at home was nice but there were lumps." She yawned again as she put her head on the pillow. "Oh, my!" she exclaimed, feeling as if she'd gone to heaven and was lying on a cloud.

The Doctor sighed slightly at seeing that she was getting in bed with both her chemise and the nightgown on. He let the issue pass, figuring that her current sleepy state prevented her understanding the meaning of the nightgown. He smiled gently upon her comment, covering her up with the sheets. "You just get some rest," he told her gently, brushing her hair away from her face in a paternal manner. "The TARDIS will watch over you and make sure you're safe." He started for the door.

She looked at him, another yawn taking over her. "If I need you, will you be close?"

"Of course," the Doctor nodded. "The TARDIS will call if you need me."

Sighing with relief, she closed her eyes. Within minutes, she was asleep. The Doctor waited a moment to make sure she was well into dreamland before leaving her and heading for the console room. Pulling out the stone that Merlin had given him, he placed it on the green lit panels of the console.

"So, what do you make of that, girl?" he asked his ship. "Homing beacon?" He froze slightly at the readings he was getting. "Another TARDIS?" he questioned incredulously. "Merlin's cave _is_ bigger on the inside! It's a TARDIS!" Setting the controls quickly, he briefly sent his time ship into the vortex, rematerializing in an odd structure, which strongly resembled a cave.

"Well... we're here," he told the ship. "But what's out there?"

There was a soft knock on the TARDIS door. Looking towards the entrance to his ship, he raised an eyebrow. "That's a new one. Usually people are pounding in fury," he commented. "Keep an eye on Glad, will you?" he instructed his ship as he opened the door and stepped out.

"So, you are a Time Lord. From the way we talked, I was almost sure of it," Merlin greeted. "Welcome to my cave." He looked at the blue box. "Interesting shape you've set your chameleon circuit on."

The Doctor grimaced slightly. "Well... she got stuck with it after a visit to 1960s London. Tried to fix it once but... guess I just became too fond of it." The Time Lord looked about the cave with slight amusement. "Am I assuming correctly when I say that your cave is a TARDIS? That's quite a homing beacon you gave me to allow me to materialize inside another TARDIS."

"Well, it doesn't function like it did when Grandmother was alive. I certainly can't travel in it, but it makes for a nice place to live and it's shielded me since we set it here so long ago."

The Time Lord looked at him for a long moment, filtering Merlin's words through his mind. "Oh, that's explains it. That explains everything. You're not a Time Lord; your grandmother was."

Merlin nodded. "Yes. The Lady of the Lake that I spoke of." He continued. "Her given name was Merlyna, although she sometimes went by Gaywyn."

The Doctor scratched the back of his head. "There was a story about a woman name Gaywyn. Supposed to be the heiress to Omega. My father told me she'd vanished without a trace."

"That would be my grandmother. She told me about Omega. How he was trapped in negative space when he created the Eye. She was going to save him but the Eye gave her a different path."

"Antimatter universe," the Doctor corrected slightly. "Nasty place. Been there. Twice at the same time, actually." He looked to Merlin. "The Eye of Harmony gave her a different path, you say? And that path led her here, to medieval Earth?" He stopped, pointing at the wizard. "No... back before now. Back several centuries, in fact. Time Lord trapped on Earth. But why?"

Merlin's voice took on the sound of a rote memory. "There will be a time when a force for good will be bound together on a great mission. The Storm will lead an elf, a reader of the rocks, and two knights in battle against the ones who use the Evil Eye to enslave all time. One knight shall be clothed in rose petals and the other is one whose life renews repeatedly. The key to salvation shall be in the elf's eye."

The Doctor frowned at his words. "What does that mean? For that matter, what does any of it mean? That song the minstrels sang... did you put them up to that?"

"No. I've never heard that particular song before tonight and, based on the eyes of the minstrel, I doubt they even knew what they were singing."

"But you did know it," the Time Lord countered. "I saw your expression. You understood it."

Merlin shrugged. "I knew that those words were important to you because your mind left the room at that moment, caught up with the song. I knew I had information to tell you tonight which seemed to match the song. The words I just told you were taught to me when I was a child. My grandmother had me commit those words to memory. She said someday, one by the name of Doctor would come and I would have to pass on the message to him." He paused. "I have no doubt that I have finally found the right Doctor to deliver this information to"

The Time Lord raised his eyebrows with slight interest, running what he had learned. He doubted that he'd be able to get any further with the wizard about Bad Wolf; it was obvious that he knew nothing about the words or their significance to him or any future situation. It appeared that he would have to learn the rest on his own. Perhaps the answers lay with Merlin's grandmother, the Time Lord who had mysterious messages for him. If he could get more information about her...

"Bit odd, was she? Your grandmother? She certainly hid herself well. All this time visiting Earth's timelines and I didn't even feel her presence once." He looked at Merlin, obviously wondering about him. "Unlike you. Felt your presence very strongly, in fact, as Dame Glad and I were on our way from her cousin's. You have a very strong telepathic ability." He winced slightly. "But it's undisciplined. Giving me one hell of a headache."

Merlin sighed. "My grandmother only taught me until I was 12. She said she wanted to show me all there was in the universe but, to fulfill the vision of the Eye, she had to live beyond the shroud of time. My father tried to take up my training but he was killed when Romans attacked our village. He was not a Time Lord and his death was final. My mother, being human was unable to do more than watch over me until I could take care of myself."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor sympathized gently. "It's not easy being different. Hearing other people's thoughts. Projecting your own thoughts and not having the skill to subdue them. Not knowing why you can't do what everyone else your age can do so easily."

"You sound as if you've been down that path as well," Merlin observed.

The Gallifreyan took a deep breath. "My mother was human also. The only human on an alien world with a half-alien son." He looked to Merlin, with a kind of kinship. "You must have been very lonely."

Merlin blew out a breath. "It was hard to have everyone tell you your father was a demon. They just didn't understand. When the Roman soldier cut him through, the two hearts were seen by many. They were going to come for me as well, spawn of the devil and all, but my mother kept them at bay. She was a remarkable woman."

The Doctor smiled with a hint of pride. "Oh, I bet she was. Had to be to marry your father, knowing that he wasn't exactly normal in comparison to the rest of the world." He looked around. "So she hid you away in your grandmother's TARDIS." He frowned slightly, thinking about Merlin's words. "Seems to me you've lived a rather long life if Roman soldiers murdered your father. There haven't been Romans in this area for a couple of centuries now. Well, not invading hordes of them anyway. Which means... you're much older than you look."

Merlin agreed. "I'll be 207 on my next birthday."

"You're still a kid," the Gallifreyan teased gently. "Still... long time to live on your own, hundred twenty years... a hundred thirty..." His eyebrows furrowed as he continued to look at his surroundings. "Your TARDIS doesn't sound right."

The wizard let out a sigh. "When my grandmother left, she gave the TARDIS instructions to protect me. It was not well even then. She said it was dying but that a TARDIS would do all it could to fulfill the requests of its Time Lord. It's been doing its best, but without her presence..." He sighed again. "I think it may truly die soon. I don't know how to heal it," he said with great sadness.

"She's very old," the Doctor commented gently. "Very very old. Older than my own TARDIS." He walked over to a wall and placed a hand on it. "I'm sorry," he murmured quietly after a long moment. "I'm so sorry." He turned his attention to Merlin. "You're right. She is dying. Giving every ounce of energy she has to protect you, just as her Time Lord asked her to." He took a deep breath. "But I'm afraid she's running out of power and quickly. And, in part... that's my fault." There was such sorrow in his voice.

"What do you mean it's partly your fault?"

The Doctor took a slow breath, swallowing slightly at the memory. "I destroyed her power source. I didn't have a choice." Dropping his head, he sniffed. "She's been running on back-up power for quite a lot of time. I can't even estimate how long."

"Why would you do that?" asked Merlin, confused. "Destroy the TARDIS' power source."

"There was a war," the Time Lord explained somberly. "The Time Lords fought to defend the whole of creation. To stop the enemy... to stop the war... I had to destroy Gallifrey. And thus, I also destroyed the Eye of Harmony, the source of power for all Gallifreyan technology." He nodded his head towards his TARDIS. "I was able to adapt my TARDIS to an alternative energy source. But your TARDIS... she never got the chance. Nothing here to feed off of."

Merlin tilted his head. "You're saying that if you hadn't acted, creation itself would have been destroyed?"

The Doctor nodded somberly. "You're the closest one in this universe I've found to be one of my own. A quarter Gallifreyan and a genetically altered half Gallifreyan. It's likely that we're all that's left of the Time Lord race." He reached out with his mind in search of another Time Lord, hoping that the strange missive the wizard had forwarded to him was an indication that he was wrong about his conclusion. However, he couldn't find a single soul other than Merlin's. And his was, in comparison, extremely weak.

The grandson of Merlyna gazed around the corridor of his dying TARDIS. "So there's nothing you can do to save her?"

"'Fraid not," the Doctor said gently as he reached into his jacket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "But there may be a way to make things a little easier for her." He flipped the screwdriver in his hand, catching it flawlessly. "Where's the console room?"

"Well, if it's where she left it last time, this way."

The Doctor grinned slightly as he followed Merlin. "She likes to make things interesting too, does she?"

"Always. She's been my dearest friend. Certainly known her longer than Arthur."

"I like her already," the Time Lord commented. He soon found himself walking into a room with white walls on all sides. Each wall was decorated with platter-sized circles. In the center of the room was a hexagonal object covered with a variety of levers and buttons, as well as a clear cone protecting an odd-looking mechanical device. "Aw, brilliant! Classic design!" the Doctor exclaimed. "It's like walking into my own past without fear of creating a time paradox."

"Which life are you on now?" asked Merlin, conversationally.

"Umm... tenth," the Gallifreyan admitted. "Eleven hundred thirty-six years old but don't tell anyone. Have to confess I'm a bit vain... well, more than a bit, actually."

"Grandmother was on her 13th when she came to Earth." He sighed. "I wish she'd been able to stay with me longer."

The Doctor tilted his head slightly. "Strange she would leave you. Sounds like the two of you had a special bond. What did she mean when she said she had to 'live beyond the shroud of time'?"

"She never explained it to me. She only said it had to be done. That to do otherwise would not honor the sacrifice made."

"What sacrifice?

Merlin did not answer the question as his TARDIS groaned. "Will what you're going to do hurt her more?" he asked with concern.

"Wouldn't even dream of causing her harm." The Doctor gave Merlin a slight smile. "In fact, it'll actually help ease the hurt she's feeling right now." He patted the console with a bit of affection before dropping to the floor and removing a control panel. "Oh, you poor thing," he murmured as he looked into the biomechanical circuitry under the console. "She's worse off than I thought. She's almost completely out of power." Clamping his teeth around the sonic screwdriver, he plunged both hands into the mass of wires, talking around the screwdriver as he went. "Ith I con zusth thind ze thircutree for ze althurna power souce an rewi ith to ze main..." He pulled the screwdriver from his mouth and, changing it to a particular setting, pressed the activation button, causing it to whirr several times. As he worked, he put the screwdriver back in his mouth every once in awhile to allow him to have his hands free.

At last, there was a warm humming coming from the console, causing the Doctor to grin victoriously. "_Molto bene!_" Pressing a few buttons on the console, he turned and hurried out the door from which they had come, instantly arriving in the large cavern where his TARDIS was waiting. "I'm going to siphon off some of my TARDIS' power into your TARDIS," the Doctor told him. "Channel it directly into her power storage unit. Should give her enough power to live the rest of her natural life without suffering, considering she's Earth-bound. Wouldn't help much if she was traveling through the vortex, but simply maintaining her chameleon circuit here..." Slipping into his TARDIS, he returned with a large conduit, plugging it into Merlin's console. After waiting several moments, he disconnected the conduit and hurried it back into his TARDIS. Even as he did so, the older TARDIS seemed to grow brighter with the new influx of power. "That should do it. All better now. Well, as best as an old girl can get."

"You're back, old friend!" Merlin exclaimed happily, running his hand along the console with obvious affection. He turned to the Doctor and, with a sincerity that cracked his voice, said, "Thank you."

The Doctor just grinned at his host. "The least I can do." He tucked his hands into his pockets. "As I said, she still won't travel. Too old. Plus she needs a Time Lord for that. But she'll be around for a while. Just... take good care of her and she'll take good care of you."

"You can count on it," Merlin said. "Now back to your visit here. There are a few other things I should let you know."

"You mean other than that exceedingly cryptic message from your grandmother, whom I had never met?"

"Grandmother had another message for you."

"Why am I not surprised? You know, seems to me she was a little flexible, for a Time Lord, with risking temporal paradox."

"She said you'd be concerned about that. Said the way she worked this out should prevent anything like that happening."

The Gallifreyan frowned slightly. "Really," he said with wariness. "So, what is this message?"

"You'll need to follow me." Merlin led the Doctor through the TARDIS to a room with Gallifreyan writing around it. "She said you'll need to go in there."

The Doctor pointed to the door. "Why in there? What's in there?"

Merlin shook his head. "I don't know. She said it wasn't for my eyes, but for yours alone." He paused. "She said if I knew, then it could cause severe problems."

Pulling out his glasses, the Doctor perched them on his nose to read the Gallifreyan symbols. He frowned. "This door's set to open when I touch it, no one else. Some sort of DNA scanner imbedded in the door itself." He paused. "I wonder how she set that up since we've never met." He considered the way Sekhmet had stolen his DNA and wondered if, in one of his lives, he actually had met Merlyna, probably during one of his more... Bohemian... incarnations. Reaching out, he touched the symbol in the center of the door, causing it to slowly rise. The interior of the room seemed to be completely black. It took only a moment for the Doctor to realize what he was looking into. "It's a zero room. A room outside of time and space. A bit of nothingness confined in a finite area. Used to have one on my TARDIS. It's designed to help one focus their mind, like a meditation room. Never seen one this… black… before."

"Sounds like something that Grandmother would use," said Merlin. "I'll be waiting for you out here."

The Doctor sniffed slightly, removing his glasses and putting them back in his jacket. Then, without a word to Merlin, he took several steps in before the door closed automatically behind him.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

The Doctor walked into the zero room, reaching out with his mind to see if there was anything that was hiding in the dark and waiting to attack him. He didn't believe that Merlin's grandmother would set such a trap but he'd learned through his lives to be cautious, as things would go sideways when he least expected it. What he felt from the room was vaguely and comfortingly familiar, like seeing a family heirloom without knowing the history, but it was not a feeling of imminent danger. Assured that he was safe, he slowly sat down, his curiosity mounting. The last time he had been in a zero room, he'd been trying to recover from an especially bad regeneration. It was odd being in one now when he didn't feel as if he were in need of one.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally felt relaxed enough to allow his mind to drift, closing his eyes for a long moment before opening them again. Looking around, he noticed rock walls surrounding him and a small entrance on the far side of a large cavern-like room. The walls had shelving jutting out of them, holding a variety of items, most of them cooking utensils or food staples. In the center was a fire, kept in place by a ring of rocks, above which was a large pot being heated.

Glancing down at his clothes, he noticed that he was no longer wearing his pinstriped suit. Instead, he seemed to be wearing some sort of raw cloth robe. His feet were completely bare and calloused, signs of not having worn shoes for a very long time. As he sat in the room, he felt an overwhelming change coming over him, altering his feelings and perceptions in a way he'd never experienced in this or any of his previous incarnations. He tried desperately to reverse this possession of his soul, to force it out of his mind. However, when a knock on the wooden door covering the entrance to the cavern startled him, he knew he was lost. He gave a low growl as he recognized the sound of a familiar heartbeat.

"Go away, Galadriel!" he shouted to the door, getting to his feet. He turned towards the pots and pans on the shelves, obviously intent on continuing his actions, whatever they may have been, as if the interruption had never happened.

"Doctor, we have to talk."

He glared at the door. "There's nothing you can say that will be of the slightest interest to me," he shouted.

The door pushed open. "Still, I have to try." There was a pause. "Again. I won't be around much longer."

The Doctor shook his head. "Nonsense," he muttered, turning to look at her, freezing at the sight. Funny, he never noticed the gray in her hair before. "When did you get so old?"

Glad's face showed the trace of a smile but it was a sad one. "You noticed me. I think that's the first time you've done so since I was in my twenties." She shook her head. "I'm afraid I've been old for quite some time now." With a sigh, she continued, "I'm old and tired, Doctor."

He huffed slightly, shaking his head again. "What do you want, Glad? Can't you just leave me alone?"

"You've been alone for years, Doctor. For almost as long as I've been with you."

He gave her a pointed look. "I've been alone my entire life. They all leave me. One way or another, I've always been alone." He turned again towards the pot hanging over the fire. "What's the point of even trying anymore?"

Glad looked away. "When you first found me, in the hallway at the castle, you told me about the things we'd see. We haven't seen anything but the inside of this cave since we arrived here those many years ago." She turned suddenly, anger on her face as she spit out with fury, "I don't know how you can complain of trying anymore. You stopped trying after it all happened!"

"Things were different then," he told her curtly, dishing out a bowl full of stew. "I was a different man then."

"True." She sighed. "You were wonderful."

He raised his head at her words. "And I'm not now. Is that what you're saying?"

"I don't know. Maybe there could be something of him left inside you. But I haven't felt his presence since you turned bitter. Sometimes, I don't even think you know I'm here."

"How can I not know with you pestering me?" he berated, slumping into a cushion and crossing his legs. "Are you just going to stand there?"

She looked downward again, her eyes averted, scared by his tone, knowing what it would mean if she continued. "I'm sorry." Tears ran down her cheeks. "I'll leave you be." She turned suddenly. "I should never have left Camelot. At least there, I expected to be treated cruelly."

He was startled by her words. Somehow, the soul that had walked into the zero room was in control again. "Why would you say that? When was I ever cruel to you?"

"You've been cruel since that horrible day. The day when everything changed. When the heart of the Storm was torn asunder. You said you didn't understand, that it was unfair to expect you to live through the pain again. You were so angry. So filled with hatred towards him... and then... you just died inside. Cruelty is all you've ever shown since."

"What day? What happened?" he asked, confused. There was something here he didn't understand and he needed to find out what this was all about. Standing up slowly, he considered that something had happened, or would happen, to change him. The same fear he'd felt when the possession had first occurred returned, this time for a different reason. Somehow he knew he'd chosen to be that person. As he gazed at her, her form started to waver, becoming more transparent as they spoke.

"You know what happened. It's the only thing you even think about anymore. You don't care about anyone, Doctor, and that's the saddest thing of all." She started for the door. "And now... I don't care about you."

He started to follow quickly. "Wait! Galadriel! Tell me what happened!" She vanished even as he called out to her. "Tell me!" he demanded as the darkness of the zero room returned. "No!" he screamed into the darkness. "I have to know! What happened that would cause me to choose to be that man?!" The door to the zero room opened abruptly and the Doctor, bereft from what he had witnessed, stumbled out with tears on his cheeks.

Merlin caught the Doctor as he fell from the doorway, the Time Lord's face contorted in emotional pain. Gazing at the distraught man, the wizard could tell that, whatever had happened in the room, it had torn him in unimaginable ways. Merlin was trying to understand why his grandmother would torture one of her own like this when, obviously overcome with grief, the Gallifreyan wrapped his arms around Merlin. Wanting to give him comfort, the wizard held the Doctor tightly, letting the tears flow onto his shoulder until the man could capture some semblance of control again.

It took a few minutes before the Time Lord found himself able to breathe without his respiratory bypass kicking in, the need for physical comfort waning slowly in favor of the necessity to sit. He'd found the emotional outburst a heavy drain on him, but was thankful this man seemed to understand his need. His legs had started to buckle and Merlin gently lowered him to the floor, allowing the Time Lord's back to rest against the wall.

Finally, Merlin spoke. "I don't know what happened in there, but I'm sure my grandmother had to have had a purpose. She wasn't a cruel woman but she also felt that one had to be honest about things. From your reaction, though, it seems there was more than an honest message."

The Doctor gazed out, questions plaguing his mind. He didn't understand what exactly had happened in the zero room but it was unlike anything he had ever encountered. For all his knowledge of Time Lord technology, he didn't understand how Merlyna had used the room in such a way as to have him experience what his life could be... no, that wasn't it at all. He was that person. He could feel the cold hardness of the man's soul and, what was more, he knew this was a potential reality for him. He swallowed tightly. "I'm not sure what it was," he whispered. "It was weird. I was me but... I wasn't." He looked up into Merlin's eyes. "It was the most terrifying thing I've ever experienced in all my lives."

Merlin looked at the Time Lord with empathetic eyes. "I'm sorry you had to experience that. There is more, though." At those words, the Doctor looked at him with trepidation, as if not sure he wanted to continue down this path he'd somehow stumbled upon. "Grandmother said I needed to tell you when you came out..." Again his voice turned to a rote memory. "A Time Lord must never let his hearts turn to stone."

The Doctor laughed sickly at the words, rubbing his chest as if it ached physically. "Now she tells me," he grumbled. "Couldn't just tell me the easy way. Had to make it as painful as possible." He sniffled as he quickly wiped away his tears. "Still... considering how stubborn I can be... it likely was the only way to get me to listen. And I can be very very stubborn," he admitted grudgingly. He sighed slowly. "Hell of a wise woman, your grandmother." Still, he couldn't help but wonder what event would cause him to turn into the monster he had experienced in the zero room... or how he was able to experience it in the first place.

Merlin smiled lightly. "She was. Not only wise but lived her life with integrity and honor. I still miss her, 195 years later."

Rubbing his face tightly, the Doctor took a deep breath, deciding to let the situation go for the moment. His emotions were still far too raw to deal with the mechanics of what he's endured just yet. "Well, then... your TARDIS should have a peaceful rest of her life. You told me what you needed to tell me. Onward. Busy life," he commented, getting to his feet before starting towards the corridor where his TARDIS waited for him.

Merlin followed the man. He knew he'd had to relay the messages. His grandmother had made that clear. Still, he was saddened that the Doctor would surely be leaving now and likely would never return. Not after what he'd been through. The wizard felt a kinship with the man, though. He wanted to remain with him until they parted ways.

As they approached the blue box, the door suddenly opened and Glad stepped out.

"Glad?" the Doctor questioned, noting the blank expression on her face. Not getting an answer, he stepped in front of her and looked into her eyes. "Ah... somnambulism," he diagnosed quickly. "Otherwise known as sleepwalking. Isn't even aware of our presence. Can't have that. Used to have another companion who walked in her sleep. She accidentally set the TARDIS controls to land us in the middle of the Arctic Ocean."

Merlin's head was tilted. He muttered to himself, "Didn't notice her ears when she had the head covering on at dinner."

The Doctor leaned towards Glad, not hearing Merlin's words. "Glad, what are you doing?" he questioned lightly. Receiving a muttered response, he gently shook his head, following her to a wall she appeared intent on cleaning. He sighed slightly. "Common actions of a sleepwalker. Usually getting them right back to bed will solve the problem." He started steering her towards the TARDIS. "I'll be right back," he told Merlin.

Merlin called out quietly. "Wait. I have something for her. Can she be awoken safely?"

The Time Lord turned to him with a slight frown, indicating with his eyes that he'd rather not. Still, the wizard seemed insistent. He sighed. "Very well," he murmured quietly. Turning Glad gently, he spoke softly to the young woman, gently laying his hands on the sides of her head.

"Galadriel... time to wake up. Just for a little bit. It's okay. There's nothing to worry about," he assured her. Seeing her blink her eyes sleepily, he smiled. "That's it. Here you come."

Glad opened her eyes and looked around. "Where am I?"

"Merlin's cave," the Doctor answered her, gently releasing her head. "You wanted to come out and see it," he told her, lying to help her mind cope with the sudden change in scenery.

She looked around, amazed. "Merlin's cave? It's beautiful!"

The Doctor smiled at her words. "It is, isn't it?"

Pleased that another person had seen the beauty of his TARDIS, the wizard grinned. "Thank you." He looked at Glad with a smile. "I have a gift for you, but only if you promise to wear it always."

Glad blinked slightly at his words. "What is it?"

Merlin took off the medallion that he was wearing. It shone with gold and inlaid obsidian. There was a gem that acted as the pupil of the eye. It looked similar to a Harlequin opal, but the fire inside very intense. "This. Isn't it beautiful?"

She reached up to take the medallion from him. "Oh, yes! Very!"

The Doctor looked over her shoulder. "Isn't that the Eye of Horus?"

Merlin agreed. "Yes, it is. It was passed down from my grandmother." He looked away for a second. "I want it to be passed onto someone who will treasure it." He knew there was more to it, but he couldn't tell them now. They'd know soon enough.

The Gallifreyan gently took it from Glad's hands and examined it carefully. For a moment, it was as if he couldn't see the object in his hand but he shook the sensation away, thinking that it was residual from his experience in the zero room. "It's gorgeous. Never seen a gem quite like this. Kind of like an opal but I've never seen an opal this vibrant. Look at the way the light just dances off its surface. It's almost as if it were alive."

"Yes. It is a special piece."

"Obviously," the Time Lord murmured, still mesmerized by the brightly colored gem set at the Eye's pupil. He didn't notice Glad retrieving it from his hand until it was no longer there.

Glad held it with obvious appreciation. "I love it. I promise I'll wear it always."

"Good," said Merlin. "You know, they say the Eye of Horus protects the wearer from the evil eye."

"Egyptian legend," the Doctor clarified automatically. He looked to Glad with a smile. "That'll fit right in where we're going."

Glad put it around her neck. "I've never owned anything like this," she said smiling.

The Doctor tilted his head towards Merlin, his eyes on Glad. "Aren't you going to thank him properly?"

"Oh. Of course. I'm sorry." She turned to Merlin. "Thank you so much. It's a lovely gift."

The Gallifreyan also turned to Merlin. "Well... off we go, then." He gave him a slight smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Merlin," he told him, extending his hand towards him.

Merlin pulled the Doctor into a hug. "Thank you again for helping my TARDIS. I wish you safe journeys and you're always welcome back."

For a moment, the Doctor's eyes widened with surprise at Merlin's hug but then returned it with a smile. Pulling away, he instructed, "Take care of yourself so that I can come visit you sometime in your future... and mine for that matter." Then, with a gentle hand, he guided Glad into the TARDIS. Giving a final wave, he closed the door and headed for the console.

"Cardiff, here we come!" he exclaimed as he set the controls. "You should get some rest, Glad," he stated, addressing the young woman standing near him.

"I thought we were going to Egypt now? Is Cardiff in Egypt?

"No, it's in Wales," the alien answered her. "Not very far from where you come from actually. Just a different timeframe."

"Why are we going there? And wouldn't it be best to go at some other time? It's the middle of the night... at least I think it is."

"Time is relative," he told her plainly. "It may be night where we left but it won't be night where we are going. Well... might not be night... Probably won't be night."

"Don't you know?"

"Umm... No. Not really," he admitted. He stood erect and tilted his head slightly. "I can focus on a particular date. But a particular time of day is a bit more complicated. And I hate to say it but... she isn't as reliable as she used to be." A ding of a low bell grumbled slightly from the ship. "Oi! I'm not the one who landed in medieval England instead of Egypt." He gave a slight grin towards Glad. "Not that I mind the detour now."

Glad smiled back at him. "I'm glad you came. It's already changed my life."

"I'm glad you decided to come with me. As for Cardiff, there's a rift in time and space that runs through there. Bleeds rift energy. Completely harmless, mind you, but it makes excellent fuel for the TARDIS."

Glad blinked for a moment, considering the concept. "Um... fuel... like wood for a fire?"

"The analogical equivalent, yeah."

"Will we be there long? Now that we're on our way, I can't wait to see Egypt!"

"Only a couple of minutes. Now, go on to sleep, I'll wake you in a few hours... so you can see Cardiff," he added with a grin.

"Okay, Doctor." She went to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night." She then headed back to her bedroom.

"Night, dear girl," he responded as she left the console room. He smiled slightly at the kiss, wondering about the girl's rapid acceptance of her place in the TARDIS and thus in his life. It gave him a lot to think about as, once the timeship landed, he let both his girls sleep after opening the engines to let the ship have her fill of energy.

DWQLTWDWQLTW

Several hours later, the Doctor fulfilled his word and woke Glad. After convincing her that a change of clothes was necessary - though the girl was clearly uncertain about wearing a skirt that only went to her knees - he guided her out into the Roald Dahl Plass to show her Cardiff at Christmastime. After several minutes of enjoying the sight just outside of the TARDIS, the Doctor brought her back into the time ship before sending the ship into the time vortex. "So... what did you think?" he asked, finally turning to Glad. "First trip to another time."

"Well, it was beautiful, despite that girl having fewer clothes that I have on. I guess it was... well... wonderful."

"Guess?" The Time Lord gave her a hurt look. "Just guess? Aw, come on! It was brilliant! Well, not as brilliant as the first Christmas I spent in Cardiff..."

"I was only there for a few minutes. It seemed we barely got out when you pulled me back in." She paused. "What was that man calling you for?"

He frowned slightly. "Someone was calling me?"

"Yes. The man was tall and running. He had a long blue... well... sort of like a priest's robe except it was open in the front and had funny things on the shoulders."

He scratched his sideburn at her observation. "An open priest's robe? Don't know any priests in 21st century Cardiff."

"Anyway, we're going to Egypt now, right? I really want to see the mummies and everything!"

"As long as you don't try to make medicine out of them," the Time Lord told her. "It's not exactly polite." He trotted down the ramp and opened the door, stepping out of the time ship with a flourish as Galadriel followed suit.

"Where the hell have you been?" an angry female voice exclaimed.

The Doctor stared at the furious physicist, wondering if he was going to see his next incarnation. "Oh," was the only word that escaped his lips.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Sam put down the stylus. He'd just finished what would become the Ineni Papyrus and took a moment to ponder the time loop he'd just finished. In 3500 years, give or take a few decades, he'd be reading this and deciding to study Ptah-Hotep for his doctoral thesis. He chuckled when he thought about how he had actually been reading his own writing.

Life had become just another day in the ancient world. As much as he really liked seeing things first hand, he had to admit, loss of the modern amenities of the 20th and 21st centuries was a bit hard. He realized that humans romanticized previous times and now that it looked like this was likely to be his life forever... well, it certainly wasn't where he ever thought he'd end up. Although he knew the Doctor would have come back if he could, he figured the Time Lord had run into something that he couldn't handle.

Still, there were some things that had made him feel pretty darn good. Teaching Jarman how to read and write had lead to the boy devouring papyrus scroll after papyrus scroll as his thirst for knowledge overtook him. It was rather amazing to see this street kid pick up on the skills so quickly and even more as he began to apply concepts across different subjects. Sam realized that Jarman in some ways was similar to him. He wondered, if Jarman had been born in his time, how the two would have interacted.

"Likely he wouldn't be throwing me goo-goo eyes all the time, that's for sure," Sam muttered to himself. It was the one thing that made his time with the boy a little hard to take. The kid was in full blown puppy love and Rose's aura was its cause. He sighed as he got up to start getting ready for the evening.

That was another thing. The Pharaoh had taken a liking to him... although, once again, it was Rose's aura that had that effect on males. Sam's visage reflected his grudging acceptance of the reality he was now in. He'd been there before as Samantha Stormer but this was far worse than he had endured then. After all, how did one say "no" to a Pharaoh without getting exiled, executed, or worse? At least this time Al wasn't looking at him like he had during that leap. Jack, on the other hand, was another story, but he was getting used to that too. Not happily, but as Al said, it was just his way.

Sam mentally turned back to the problem with Thutmose. He was going to have to nip the sovereign's interests in the bud somehow if he was going to continue as he had the last few weeks. At the most recent dinners, Thutmose had hinted that he'd like a relationship. Actually, it had been more than a hint and, although Sam had been able to fend off his advances so far by telling him that where he was from he had been dedicated as a vestal virgin, he didn't think Thutmose was going to accept that much longer. He thought with a sigh that perhaps leaving Egypt and traveling the ancient world might be a solution.

To top everything, Al had been constantly requesting that he translate everything under the sun just totest his newfound ability, courtesy of Jack and Ziggy. If he heard Al tell him, "Oh! Sam! Say this in Egyptian!" one more time, he was certain that his temper would get the best of him. He'd even started branching out into other languages, some of which Sam had no idea how to speak, but that didn't seem to stop his best friend. Sam shook his head once more. Life, like now, could get downright... difficult at times.

As he started to move towards his bedroom from the larger common area of the suite, a sound he thought he'd never hear again made its presence known. A few seconds later, the blue box that had brought him to Egypt appeared. Watching the door, he saw two people stepping out, the Doctor and a young woman.

"Where the hell have you been?" Sam asked, residual irritation from his musing affecting his words. He glanced briefly at the young woman and wondered if traipsing around time-space and picking up women was a trait of the Doctor's he hadn't seen before. After all, he'd only known the man a short time.

"Oh," came the reply from the Time Lord as he looked upon Sam, seeming completely flummoxed while, at the same time, appearing as if he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"I've been here resigning myself to the idea I'd be living this life for the rest of my natural days and you show up as if nothing's wrong... and with a young woman no less. What the hell's going on?"

"Really?" the Doctor questioned. "I've only been gone for a few hours. Well, a day. Tops."

Sam tilted his head. "Hours? It's been almost a month here. I even had time to write the entire Ineni papyrus."

"A month? Really?" The alien blinked for a moment. "I better look into that. For some reason, she's been acting up a bit. Maybe something to do with the helmic regulator. However, if you think about it in cosmic terms, a month isn't bad at all..." Feeling Sam staring at him, he tucked his head, looking very much like a school boy having been reprimanded. "Sorry."

Sam took a breath. He figured that he needed to give the Doctor a bit of a break. After all, it was like he'd said to Al and Jack: if the Time Lord didn't come back for him and that prevented the future he'd seen, he'd be willing to accept that. His upset was more about the cavalier attitude the Gallifreyan was showing. On the other hand, trouble seemed to follow this man everywhere. "I take it that something horrible and dire happened while you were gone?" His words were tinged with flippancy.

The Doctor looked upon Sam with a hint of disconcertion. "Umm... no. Not really. Bit of a detour is all. Aimed for here to pick you up. Wound up in medieval England." He pointed to the young woman at his side with his thumb. "This is Glad, by the way. She's going to be traveling with us for a while."

"She is?" The leaper pursed his lips as his eyes narrowed. He couldn't condone what he logically inferred. After all, the Doctor obviously had a thing for his host. Now he was with a girl who was blatantly too young to be consenting. With some heat in his voice, he confronted the Time Lord. "So, you like traveling with a harem? She's way too young for you, Doctor, even if you go by your appearance rather than your proper age."

"Harem?" the Gallifreyan gasped in shock. "You, Dr. Beckett, need to get your mind out of the gutter. I don't care if she is from a time period where she might be considered an adult. She's sixteen! And I travel with friends, not a harem!"

Hearing the response, Sam realized that the man wasn't acting like the pervert he'd just accused him of being. He figured that the amount of time he'd been spending around Jack in the last month had put him into a frame of mind to question motivations. "Good to hear we're on the same page... but you've been gone the last month and, when you get here, you have another teenage girl in tow. What the hell was I suppose to think?" He looked at the girl in question. "Not that I'm saying anything bad about you, miss. It's just that I've been here dealing with the advances of males, including the warped opinions of somewhat lecherous holograms!"

Glad look at the woman in front of her who was dressed in even more revealing fashion than the girl in Cardiff. She averted her eyes and quickly turned back to the Doctor before whispering loudly, "I can see through her dress. Is she a prostitute?"

Her words evoked a rather energetic response. "What? A prostitute? No! I'm not. That's just..." He turned to the Doctor. "Who is she?"

"I told you," the Doctor replied. "Glad. Short for Galadriel." He tilted his head towards the girl before telling her, "That's just the way women dress in this time in Egypt, especially nobility."

"Yeah. What he said," Sam agreed before considering the girl's full name. "Galadriel? Sounds Celtic."

Glad responded to Sam's vehement reaction to her comment. "Sorry. It's just that no one would even think of wearing something like that in Camelot unless they were going to bed. And you did mention the Doctor having a harem, which I don't think a good man like him would ever think of having."

"Camelot? What's Camelot got to do with any of this?" He had missed the rest of her statement due to the strange reference.

The Time Lord grinned. "Didn't I say? She's from Camelot. Promised her I'd take her to some pretty amazing, marvelous places. And Glad's never been to ancient Egypt, having lived her entire life in medieval England. So..."

"Wait a minute. If she's from medieval England, why does she look like a normal teenager from the 21st century?" He noted the outfit she was wearing. "I know they didn't have dresses that short in medieval England."

"The Doctor took me to see Cardiff!" Glad answered. "It was beautiful! It was Christmas and he said that the dots on the castles had lightning trapped in them."

The Doctor grimaced slightly. "Not exactly. But try explaining electricity to a medieval peasant."

"Um... yeah. I've been explaining a lot of things to Jarman. Sometimes takes some creativity." Sam paused. "Wait a minute. You went to Cardiff too? I guess getting back to Egypt just wasn't too high on your priority list. Is that what the wait was about? Checking out the Christmas lights?"

The Time Lord scratched the back of his head. "I needed to refuel the TARDIS," he defended.

"You have a time machine that runs on petrol? What is this, a Delorean?"

"'Back to the Future'! Love 'Back to the Future!'"

"Yeah. I noticed," came the biting response.

The two exchanged annoyed looks before the Doctor explained, "The TARDIS uses rift energy as fuel and there is a rift in time and space there. It's sealed but energy still bleeds through so I just landed on it and soaked it up until the tank was full."

"A rift? You explained that before. That's where all the weird stuff that Jack deals with comes from, right?" Getting a nod of agreement, Sam switched gears. "Now you tell me it also acts as a fueling station? I should have known." He thought for a moment. "But you said you were only gone a short time, at least to you. Why would you need to fuel so soon?"

"Had to help a friend. Turns out Merlin had a TARDIS. How he hid her from me, I'll never know but she was dying and I couldn't let such a marvelous being die because of lack of energy, now, could I?"

"Merlin had a..." Sam started and then stopped, licking at his lips slightly. "I don't think I want to hear this right now. It's giving me a headache and myrrh tablets just aren't my favorite remedy."

Galadriel tugged on the Doctor's sleeve, confusion on her face. "Doctor? Who is this woman?"

"Oh! Right!" The alien gestured to the leaper as he looked kindly at the girl. "My dear, this is Sam. And he isn't a she. Mind you he looks like a she but that's..."

The time trapped physicist warned, "Doctor... I don't know if we should..."

The girl put together what she thought she heard them say. "So you're telling me he's a man that looks like a woman."

"Kind of, yeah," the Time Lord murmured.

Sam started, "Well, it's more like..."

The girl's face lit up. "Oh, he's like my cousin!"

"Umm..." the Doctor hesitated. "Not exactly, no. Your cousin chooses to look like a woman. Sam doesn't."

The leaper sighed. Normally he didn't have to explain these things to anyone and he wasn't sure he should now. Before this leap he'd always played his role and got the heck out of Dodge. Now, traveling with the Doctor, it seemed that his normal routine had gone out the window. He figured he needed to assure himself that the Doctor wasn't forgetting how he normally handled things. "You sure you want me to go there?"

"Go where?"

"Explaining... this?" Sam said, gesturing with his hands to indicate the aura.

"But you've already explained why you are wearing what you are wearing," Glad chimed in.

The Doctor responded after seeing Sam do a frustrated face-palm. "He's not referring to what he is wearing, Glad. It's..." He trailed off, turning to Sam. "We have to explain it to her, Sam. She is going to be with us for a while and I'd rather not have to spend however long we are together watching my pronoun use, making sure that I call you Rose all the time, and explaining your choice of clothing."

"Um, yeah. I can see how that could get... weird." Sighing, the leaper decided a simple analogy might work best. Using such analogies had been working with Jarman. "Okay, Glad, it's like this. Think of a pitcher, you know, like you use for holding water."

"Okay."

"Now you wouldn't see the water in the pitcher, you just see the pitcher, right?"

"Sure, I could see the water. All I'd have to do is look at it from above," she answered as if she thought he was simple.

Sam took his fingers and pinched his nose. "Okay... you're right. But let's say you can't look at it from above. You can only look at it from the side. Pitcher only, right?

"I suppose."

"It's sort of like that. I, Sam, am like the water and what you're seeing is like the pitcher. It's not exactly like that, but it's the best I can do for now."

"That is a brilliant analogy, Dr. Beckett," the Doctor complimented.

"Thank you," Sam said simply and with dignity.

The young girl thought about the concept. "So you're saying you're like the apples in a pie?"

"Yeah. That works too."

"But, isn't that also the same as a man in a dress? Boyne looks pretty good in a dress when he shaves off his beard."

"Who's Boyne?" the leaper asked.

"It's a long story and probably something you don't want to get into now, considering that headache you mentioned." The Time Lord turned to Glad. "As for Sam, like I said, he doesn't choose to wear a lady's form. He just sort of pours into it, like the water and the pitcher."

She blinked for a moment. "So... he possesses the woman I see?" Her eyes widened in trepidation. "He's a demon!"

"No. He's more like an angel we're entertaining unaware... only we're aware of it."

"Oh," she finally said. She didn't completely understand what she was hearing and she couldn't really see the woman in front of her as being an angel, especially not dressed as she was and not having wings, but she trusted the Doctor that she wasn't a demon and was somehow - she didn't know how it was possible - a man looking like a woman. "I guess that's okay."

"Brilliant," the Doctor said decisively. "In that case, Dr. Beckett, I say we give Glad here a quick tour and then off to the 1950s to fulfill a promise."

"I'd love to be a tour guide. It would be a good way to get out of this damned dinner. But, I don't think we can leave now."

"Ah, come on. It'll be fun!" The Time Lord took hold of Glad's hand. "Besides, got to show her the meaning of the gift Merlin gave her."

"Wait a minute. You're pulling my leg, right? You really didn't meet Merlin, did you? He's just a myth," Sam countered.

"Oh, no... Sam... he's real. He gave this to me," Glad said pointing out her pendant.

Sam looked at the piece of jewelry. "An Eye of Horus? What would an Egyptian artifact be doing - if the Merlin reference fits - in King Arthur's court?"

"Brilliant fellow," the Doctor stated to confirm the man's existence. "Gets it all from his grandmother and father, of course. As for the Eye of Horus, I imagine that his grandmother probably visited ancient Egypt herself before settling in Brittania."

"Huh?" Sam was confused. "You're definitely going to have to explain this to me a little better."

There was a knock at the door. From the other side came a voice, highly excited. "Rose, are you in there? I just have to show you something I found in the newest papyrus I've been reading. This is fascinating! Did you know there was a number whose value is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter? That's just the... what did you call it? The coolest thing!" The voice didn't show any signs of stopping in its prattle.

Sam pinched his nose again. "He's discovered Pi."

"Pie?" Glad questioned. "I like pie! It tastes great!"

"Huh?" Sam started, his focus being brought back to the Doctor's newest companion. "Oh... not that kind of pie."

"What other kind of pie is there? Oh, my mother used to make this wonderful pear pie!"

The Doctor nearly gagged at her words. "Pear pie? Who eats a pear pie? That's disgusting!"

"Rose!" The voice on the other side of the door, kept up. "Open the door."

Sam started to walk to the door. "Hang on, Jarman. I'll be right there." To the Doctor, he threw back over his shoulder, "Pears are good. Just cause you can't stand them doesn't mean other people can't like them."

"Now, did I say anything like that?" the Doctor commented as the door was opened and the boy stepped in. "Jarman!" he exclaimed, obviously delighted to see the young man. "Blimey! Look at your clothes! A proper nobleman!"

"Lord Doctor! You're back!" exclaimed the boy. He looked over at Glad. "Hello. Who are you?" It was obvious that he found this new girl as attractive as he had Rose Tyler.

Glad smiled at the good-looking young man with the gleam in his eyes. She had never really seen a man so scantily clad with only a cloth covering the lower half of his body. She was starting to think Egypt had nothing but naked people everywhere. "Umm... hello," she murmured. Immediately after realizing that her eyes were focused on his dress...or lack thereof, she turned her head, blushing furiously. She definitely needed to remember to say penance now, with being so scantily dressed herself and for what the priests would have called dirty thoughts, which were running through her mind at that moment.

The Doctor looked between the two of them and noticed the discomfort that seemed to fill the air, most of it coming from Glad. "It's okay, dear girl," he assured her. "For Egypt, he's rather well-dressed. In fact, I'd say almost overdressed."

"Really?" she questioned, unsure that she should dare to look at the boy again. After all, the priests had said such undress was sinful. Or at least could lead to sinfulness.

"Really. In fact..." he looked at the girl for a long moment. "...you're what they would consider overdressed as well. I mean, look at Sam there. All sheer linens... though he does wear too many layers to be suitable for a member of the royal court..."

"Who's Sam?" Jarman asked looking around the room.

"Oh... that's just my special nickname for Rose," the Gallifreyan told the boy, realizing that he'd have to watch his words once again now that Jarman was around.

"But you said..." Glad started.

Sam stepped in. "We'll talk about it later, Glad." He decided that a change of subject was in order. "You said you wanted to show me something, Jarman."

The young Egyptian turned towards Sam. "Oh. Yes!" He pulled up the scroll he'd been holding in his right hand. "This number is used in so many things. It's close to the number three but somewhat larger. The thing is... you can use it to manipulate numbers and therefore get really precise answers! I think they may have even used it years ago when the pyramids in the upper land were built..."

The Doctor furrowed his brow slightly. "You really understand Pi?" he questioned.

Glad sighed at his words. "How could anyone not understand pie? After all, it's just crust and fruit... or meat..."

The Time Lord rolled his eyes. "Not that pie." He nodded his head towards the scroll in Jarman's hand. "That Pi."

"Is that a recipe for pie in your hand?" Glad asked the boy.

"What?" Jarman asked. "There isn't any recipe for Pi, just equations. It's just a number that's really cool."

"Why would a number have anything with temperature?" the girl asked even more confused.

At that moment, there was another knock at the door. "Lady Rose. The Pharaoh wishes your presence. He is wondering what's keeping you."

"Your presence?" the Doctor questioned with a slight frown.

"I've got a dinner date, remember?" the physicist said with resignation, his shoulders dropping along with his face. He rallied slightly with his next inquiry. "Unless you can get me out of it._ Please_, get me out of it."

"What's a Pharaoh?" Glad asked. "And what does it have to do with pie and numbers and temperature?" She was getting more than a little frustrated with the discord of the conversation.

Jarman looked at the girl as if she'd just grown another head. "You don't know who Pharaoh is?"

"She's not from around here," the Doctor explained. "She's from Camelot."

"She sells camels?"

"Yes," the Time Lord answered sarcastically. "Lots of camels. All the time." Getting a frown from Glad and an eye roll from Sam, he shrugged. "Aaaanyway..."

"Lady Rose?" The voice from the other side of the door was more urgent.

Letting out sigh, Sam headed to the door again. "I'm coming. Keep your loin cloth on!" He got to the door and opened it, allowing the servant to enter the doorway. "I'm not quite ready. I had a few friends... um... drop in on me."

The servant looked around the room with curiosity. A moment later, his eyes caught sight of the Doctor and he immediately dropped to his knees, bowing in submission. "Great Abubakar Nuru! We had not been informed of your return!"

The Doctor and Sam sighed in synchronicity at the sign of supplication. The Gallifreyan's return was sure to bring about another round of interesting events.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Glad watched with utter confusion as the servant who had entered prostrated himself before the Doctor. She had never seen anyone behave in such a manner, not around any of the nobility in Camelot and certainly not when she went to church on those occasions when the friar came through her village. And the words the man used were completely foreign to her. "Okay, I need some answers," she stated firmly. "First, why do you call him Rose?" she stated, pointing to Sam. She gestured to Jarman. "Next, why is this boy calling you Lord, Doctor? And who's Abububu Narrow?"

"Abubakar Nuru," the Doctor corrected immediately. "Yeah, that would be me." He took a step forward and helped the servant back onto his feet. "And you don't need to bow to me."

"But you told me your name is Doctor and I know you've been knighted," the girl pressed as the servant moved to the side, waiting for permission to speak again. "Maybe you should be called Sir Doctor but certainly not Lord Doctor. After all you're not the king."

Jarman spoke up having heard the TARDIS translate her king as his sovereign. "No. Lord Doctor is not Pharaoh. He is a cousin, however, and is a member of the royal family. And I call Lady Rose Rose because, as a great warrior and future vestal virgin, she can choose her title or lack of one."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Vestal virgin?"

"Trust me, it was the best idea I could come up with at the time. How would you feel if you had Pharaoh hitting on you?"

Glad frowned. "But why would that man call you Abu-baker Nunu?"

Jarman rolled his eyes. "Weren't you listening? He is Pharaoh's cousin, Abubakar Nuru. Lord Doctor."

"So... you're name is Lord Doctor Abubakar Nuru? Weird name."

The Doctor grimaced slightly at her words. "It's a long story, dear child."

The servant that had come to retrieve Lady Rose looked greatly uncomfortable. If he didn't get back soon, Pharaoh would likely demote him to a galley slave.

Sam, seeing the servant's antsiness, guessed the problem. "We need to get ready to go see Thutmose," he put in, changing the subject. He looked at Glad. "And you need to be dressed a little... more in the theme of things." Knowing that there were only males to help her, he turned to the servant. "Inform Thutmose that we are still running late due to his cousin having returned. And please have a dresser come to prepare... my cousin... Glad."

The servant looked confused. "You've always refused a dresser before."

"Yes. I have and I still will. But Glad will need someone to see to her needs. I don't want her to go before Thutmose dressed as she is now."

"But... what's wrong with this dress?" the girl protested. "The Doctor gave me this and I think it's beautiful!"

"_Now_ she likes the dress," the Doctor complained. "A while ago, you were telling me that I had to share in your penance."

"But that was before I found out that some women dress with far less covering them," she pointed out, giving a glare towards Sam.

"Well, it's what's proper for this time in history. Fashion and style is tied to culture and this culture sees such clothing as practical and acceptable. I don't have to like it, just live with it," Sam explained.

"But why should _I _have to change my dress?"

The Doctor exhaled. "You really don't want to offend Pharaoh, my dear. Believe me. Just... follow along for now. I promise you can change back into your dress after dinner." He looked towards the servant. "Lady Rose did give you an order. Better see to it."

"Why do you call him Lady Rose?" Glad questioned. "And don't tell me it's because she's... he's a chaste knight."

"Well then, maybe because, it's her name! Is that better for you?" Jarman answered, frustrated at the slowness of the girl.

She frowned, looking between Sam, the boy, and the Gallifreyan. "But you said her name was Sam Beckett." she complained to the alien. "And that he was like a water pitcher and apple pie and is an angel."

"And you complain that I call her a great warrior," Jarman groused.

The Time Lord sighed, shaking his head. He looked at the servant again. "Please... just get the dresser."

The servant bowed again to the frown of the Doctor and quickly went out. While they waited, Sam went into the bedroom and put something on more fitting for the dinner. A few minutes later, the dresser arrived to take Glad into the room to prepare her. Before they went in, Sam told the older woman, "Make sure she has extra layers, like I wear." At the look that told him Rose's choice of clothing was considered strange, he continued, "It's the way of our people. Neither my cousin nor I feel completely comfortable showing... um... everything."

"What do you mean, showing everything?" Glad questioned. When she again looked at Sam, the meaning of his words struck her. "Oh, no! No no no!" She pulled away from the dresser quickly, running to the Doctor for protection. "I'm not going to let you dress me like a prostitute!"

"You won't be. You'll be dressed like a noblewoman," the dresser stated.

"You mean like him?" Glad questioned, pointing to Sam.

"Oh, I really wish you hadn't said that," the Gallifreyan groaned. The last thing he needed was for Glad to be thought as eccentric.

"Him?" Jarman asked. "Perhaps you should have a healer check your eyes. Rose is definitely not a him. I think you'd know that, being her cousin."

"That's what _I_ said but _they_ insisted!" Glad agreed with Jarman.

Jarman remembered his first days after he'd met the Doctor. "Yes. They do have some rather strange ideas. But they are the Lord Doctor and Lady Rose. They are allowed such luxuries."

The dresser sighed. "Am I needed or not? There are other ladies in the palace I must attend to."

The Doctor put a hand behind his back to pull Glad from behind him. "Yes, you are needed. Galadriel, go with her. Let her dress you and please... don't give her a hard time."

The girl growled in frustration but nonetheless allowed the dresser to guide her into the bedroom. A few minutes later, she emerged with what had to be the thinnest clothing she had ever worn in her life, a shawl of fine linen strategically placed around her hips and her own long hair covering her breasts. She smiled as she stepped out. "Wow! This is really light! And soft!" She hadn't realized before what freedom of movement she had been giving up all those years of wearing her multiple layers. "This is great! I've never been so comfortable in my life!"

The Doctor blinked at her words, clearly stunned by the sudden turnaround in her attitude. "First she hates the weight of the dress we wore to court with Arthur while liking the gold thread, then she berates me for having her wear a short dress and leotards in Cardiff... and now she loves being practically naked for all intents and purposes."

"Well, the dresser explained that if I continued to wear the dress you gave me, I'd probably pass out from the heat. I just got here and I want to see Egypt. So, if wearing this allows that, I guess I'm okay, as long as I'm covered properly. At least properly for Egypt."

"Two hours traveling with me and she's suddenly cosmopolitan," the Gallifreyan said with a grin. "My dear child, you're amazing!"

"Logical too," Sam stated as the dresser left the room. The leaper looked critically at the way the outfit was draped and went over to adjust one of the pleats. "That's better."

Glad flipped her long hair back over her shoulders, obviously enjoying the outfit. As she did, Sam suddenly averted his eyes realizing that the dresser had taken liberties with his instructions. "Glad, bring your hair forward again."

"Why?" asked Jarman. "I think she looks fine."

"The dresser says that I'd look better with my hair down my back," Glad added.

"I agree wholeheartedly," a voice that only Sam and the Doctor could hear rang out.

"You would," Sam said dryly, glaring at the hologram.

"So I can keep my hair down my back?" Glad questioned.

The Doctor sighed at the interaction. "Glad, cover yourself with your hair. Jarman, behave yourself. Sam... well... we're on the same side on this so I don't have to say anything, do I. As for you..." he turned to the hologram. "Aren't you a little old to be ogling a sixteen year old?"

"Sixteen? Really? Wow!" Jack exclaimed. "Wish I looked like that when I was sixteen... I mean, apart from the gender differences. Besides... in some cultures, she'd be an old maid."

"She's not an old maid," Sam put in.

Glad sighed as she adjusted her hair. "Not yet, anyway. But if I don't get married soon, I will be."

Jarman smiled. "Give me a little time to get to know you."

"Hey, I like this kid's style!" the Captain crowed.

"You would," the Doctor and Sam put in simultaneously.

"You'd want me to..." Glad said looking at the Doctor and Sam before turning back towards the bedroom. "Maybe I should wear something else..."

"No. You look fine," Sam said running to catch her. "Jarman's just... being... well... normal."

"Horny," Jack corrected.

Sam narrowed his eyes at the man. "Stop it!"

"I should stop being normal?" Jarman questioned with a frown.

"What? I was just saying that it's completely normal for a maturing young man in puberty to have sexual tension concerning a maturing young woman of the same age." The Observer looked at Glad with a smile. "And may I say that I don't blame him in the least bit. If I were sixteen..."

"Stop it!" the Doctor berated.

Jack let out a sigh. "You never let me have any fun."

Jarman looked back and forth between the Doctor and Rose. "Would you two please make up your mind?"

"I agree," Glad put in. "I don't think I've ever been so confused in all my life."

"Now, see what you two did? You confused the kids," Jack taunted, gesturing towards the two adolescents.

Sam's mouth opened to respond and quickly closed again as he realized that Jack wasn't with Al. After a moment of consideration, he queried, "Where's Al and why don't you need him in here for us to see you?"

Jarman leaned towards Glad when he noticed that Rose had started to speak to seemingly no one. "She sometimes speaks to spirits."

"Ghosts? She speaks to ghosts?" Seeing Jarman nod slightly, she took a breath. "Wow!"

"What have you been telling these kids?" Jack questioned. "No wonder they're confused." He turned to Sam. "And I just worked with Ziggy a little." He smiled lecherously. "She's a sweetie."

"What have you been up to with Ziggy?" the leaper demanded with suspicion.

"Oh... do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Seeing the glare from the quantum physicist, he assured, "I didn't mess with her mainframe. She's still built like a brick house. I just upgraded her software so that I wouldn't have to be constantly touching Al to be able to see and hear in the Imaging Chamber. Not that it was a bad thing, touching Al..."

"How many times do I have to say it?" the Doctor warned.

Sam was upset hearing that his creation had been upgraded by the other man. He realized that, after all the time he'd been gone, she probably required new technology from time to time. He just figured that Gooshie and Tina would provide what was needed, not this newcomer to his project. However, when Jack explained that the change meant he wouldn't be touching Al, Sam nodded. "Okay. I'm sure Al appreciates that. Now, where is he?"

"I gave him the night off," the former Time Agent replied. "After all, we've been working really hard for the last few weeks, especially Al. I mean, being here 24/7... Well, all work and no play makes Al a very cranky boy. And I can absolutely guarantee, if I know Beth, Al isn't going to be in the least bit cranky when he gets back tomorrow morning. Lucky dog!"

The Doctor gave a slight smile at Jack's words. "Good boy, Albert!" he commented, clearly pleased that Al was getting a break. "Now, I believe that Pharaoh is waiting for Lady Rose to join him for dinner."

Sam sighed. "Yeah. Dinner." He acted as if it were going to be his last meal.

"You still want me to get you out of it?" the Doctor questioned.

Jack frowned. "Why would you want to get out of dinner with Pharaoh? I mean, that's like saying no to eating dinner with Liz."

"Jack," the Doctor put in. "I seriously doubt that Elizabeth would appreciate you referring to her as 'Liz', especially since you don't know her."

"Well, you know her. What do _you _call her?"

"Your Majesty."

"Right," Jack answered before turning back to Sam. "So why don't you want to eat with..." he paused dramatically before saying grandly, "...His Majesty?" He paused before grinning broadly. "You know, Old King Thut."

The Doctor groaned at the pun. "I can't believe you just said that."

"Neither can I," Sam agreed. "And it's not the dinner I'm concerned about."

Jack looked confused and then his face brightened. "Ohhhh!" he said with sudden understanding. "Too bad you're not the most... um... liberal in that area. I mean..."

"Jack..." the Doctor warned.

Jarman and Glad watched the half-conversation with increasing confusion. Finally, Glad shook her head. "I've heard that spirits can take away a person's soul. Maybe they're all possessed."

"What?" Sam, Jack, and the Doctor questioned at the same time, hearing what the girl said.

"Both of you have been talking to the ghosts about all sorts of things that don't make any sense," she answered their confusion. "I mean... seriously! Pies and numbers and Al and Ziggys and Jack... who seems like a spirit I almost certain I wouldn't want to meet. And who's Elizabeth? Is she another spirit you're talking to?"

Sam sighed. He'd been through this a number of times before. "Um. No. It's not exactly spirits..."

Jarman tilted his head and said wisely, "Communication with another world is something seers can do all the time. It's not that unusual. I read about it on one of the scrolls." He paused, using some of the slang Sam had used. "It's a bit freaky when there are two seers doing it but..."

"I once joined two seers doing it..." Jack started.

"Stop it!" the Doctor and Sam shouted together.

"Lady Rose!" came a cry from the door. The servant who had come to retrieve him the first time had obviously returned. "Pharaoh grows weary of your tardiness. He demands your presence immediately."

Jack grinned mischievously at the leaper. "Aw! Isn't that sweet? He's just begging to be near you." With a slightly more lecherous smile, he finished, "Begging can be such a turn on."

"Is there ever a time when you aren't making some lewd comment?" Sam demanded. "No, don't answer that. I already know."

"Knew you were a quick learner," the Doctor commented.

"Hey, I've got to be me," Jack quipped back.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

The servant once more stated the need to leave. Jack looked down at the handlink. "You go on to dinner. Gooshie has a few things he needs to go over with me. I'll catch you later."

Sam watched the door open and close again as the man left, still not sure how he felt about his project being run by someone other than Al. He knew Jack had a point. He may be living his life out of sequence but his friend was definitely moving down the string of his life linearly. Every time the leaper saw him, there was more gray in his hair, another wrinkle no matter how hard Al tried to hide them. Jack had figured out how another person could take on the observer's role with much better results than his chief programmer had ever been able to. He guessed he should be grateful but that wasn't the primary feeling he had. He pushed those feelings aside for the moment. "Lead on," he told the servant.

The group moved quickly to the dining hall. As they approached, Glad looked at the Doctor. "You know, even though the buildings are different and all, this is sort of like going to see King Arthur, isn't it? Do you think we'll get to see this Pharaoh right away?"

"Oh, I'd say immediately, dear girl," the Doctor replied softly. "I'm afraid Pharaoh probably isn't very happy with me right now, which isn't a good thing... especially since he's considered a living god by his subjects."

"Living god? The priest says there's only one."

"Yeah... I wouldn't say that around here. Generally considered blasphemous in these parts."

Glad blinked. "How odd."

"It's ancient Egypt about fifteen hundred years before you were born. What do you expect?" he stated more than asked as the four of them entered the dining hall.

As they walked into the room, Thutmose looked towards the group. "Cousin Abubakar Nuru. You have returned. I had believed we would never see you again. How is Sekhmet and why has she not returned with you?"

The Doctor tugged on his ear slightly. "That's a bit difficult to explain..." he started, thinking about Thutmose's question. "I suppose the easiest way is... She decided to join her beloved Ptah-Hotep in the land of Anubis. Well... more like wait for him to show."

"After you left, word was received that Ptah-Hotep had died. He was entombed over a moon ago. Are you saying you have returned from that place? That you have incarnated again, like Osiris?"

"What?" the Time Lord questioned with a frown. "Oh, no. Nothing like that. At least, I hope not." He quickly touched his face, hoping he wouldn't find any changes in the features. After all, he hadn't looked in a mirror since before he left Earth with Sekhmet. He turned to Sam and whispered, "I haven't regenerated in my sleep, have I?"

"No. Don't you think Jarman and I would have told you if that was the case?"

The Doctor merely gave a slight shrug as his attention returned to Thutmose. "I have returned from my long journey with Sekhmet but since I didn't actually enter Anubis' realm, I am the same as I was."

"It is good that you have returned to us," Thutmose stated. "It is just strange that Sekhmet would have left before Ptah-Hotep had his heart weighed. It is like putting the chariot before the horse."

"They weigh hearts?" Glad questioned with a frown. "Isn't that a little... grotesque?"

"It's a metaphor," Sam explained further when he saw the confused look on her face. "That means it's a way to describe an idea with colorful imagery."

"Like a painting? I've heard of paintings but I've never really seen one that I can remember."

Sam tilted his head before turning to the Doctor. "We're definitely going museum hopping."

"Among other places," the Time Lord agreed. He looked at Glad. "Metaphors have more to do with one's choice of words, dear girl... sort of hiding meanings in more genteel ways."

"Oh. So, saying that a dress looks good on someone when it really doesn't is a metaphor," Glad concluded.

Thutmose noted the conversation going off tangent. "Who is this strange girl? I was told she arrived with you, Abubakar Nuru."

The Gallifreyan's eyes widened slightly. "Right! How rude of me. Cousin Thutmose, may I present Lady Galadriel, cousin to Lady Rose." He added the last as he remembered how Sam had introduced the girl to the servant earlier.

Glad frowned at his words. "The Pharaoh is your cousin?"

"Related by marriage and adoption."

"Oh," she responded, not entirely understanding the relationship but still accepting it. She gave the ruler a brief curtsey. "I'm honored, your Majesty."

"What is that... thing... you are doing?" Thutmose asked as the girl dipped her whole body slightly before standing again.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty. Did... did I do something wrong?"

"It's the way we show respect in our land," Sam said quickly. "Lady Galadriel is following the rules of etiquette that she knows. She's unfamiliar with the ways of Kemet."

"I thought we were in Egypt," Glad questioned.

"I'll explain later," the Doctor murmured to her.

"Strange custom, but acceptable under the circumstances." Thutmose turned back to the Doctor. "We were talking about Sekhmet as I recall," he said resuming the previous conversation as he dismissed the other from his mind.

"Yes," the alien agreed, recalling where they had left off. "Who are we to judge the actions of the gods? She likely went ahead of him to prepare his place in the afterlife."

"I do believe that he would want her with him on his journey. May his time with Anubis be brief and his heart compares favorably with Maat's feather."

Glad turned to Jarman. "You know, being around these two is really difficult sometimes. I don't know what they're talking about. First, we had the pies and stuff, and now we're weighing hearts and comparing them with feathers..."

Jarman sighed. "You really aren't from around here, are you?"

The leaper gave Jarman a sharp look. "She's doing the best she can."

Thutmose stood, his stature demanding attention. "While our discussions are quite enlightening, perhaps we should continue them over dinner." Although his words were suggestive, his tone was authoritative, telling all they must be obeyed.

Immediately the room changed in its ambiance into one of a banquet. When Thutmose asked the Lady Rose to sit beside him she answered that it was best for her to sit beside her cousin to help the newcomer learn the ways of the court. She suggested that he may wish to speak with Jarman during dinner as the young man had recently been studying the numerical arts which the Pharaoh also enjoyed. Although the sovereign frowned, he accepted her suggestion and Jarman sat beside Pharaoh. He looked very nervous.

The Doctor, noticing the boy's anxiety, leaned towards him. "Jarman, why don't you explain to Thutmose what you were telling us about Pi?"

The sovereign looked at the young man, not too many years his junior. "You know mathematics, then? Fascinating subject."

"Lady Rose introduced me to the concepts and I've been learning the manipulation of figures. I just recently learned about Pi and the wondrous attributes the number has. I believe the pyramid architects used such a number to create the perfect architecture that we see today."

"Do you know more about architecture? Now that I'm Pharaoh, I'm going to have to consider such things."

"I know a great many things now that I've studied the papyruses. Lady Rose taught me to read and write and encouraged me to expand my knowledge on many subjects, including architecture, Great Pharaoh."

"The Lady Rose taught you to read and write? Noble skills. Tell me more about what you have learned."

Over the dinner, Sam, listening to the direction of their conversation, realized that the two young men would work well together. He smiled as he saw that Jarman's willingness to serve mixed with his quick mind had finally found its proper place. He would be able to excel in a position as the Pharaoh's counselor, which was a much better position for the boy to fill than for Sam as the Lady Rose. He leaned over to the Doctor, who was thoroughly enjoying his meal and taking great pains to explain everything to Glad, and said sotto voice, "I think Jarman's going to be the one to get me out of this."

"Hmm?" the Gallifreyan questioned, his mouth full as he turned his head to see what Sam was referring to. Swallowing, he grinned at the sight. "Quite a social coup, I'd say. Of course, he never would have made it if I hadn't encouraged it."

"Right. You take off and spend your time prancing around the English countryside in Arthur's realm while I teach Jarman how to learn... and it's all your doing." Sam rolled his eyes at the concept.

"Well... you never would have been able to teach him if I hadn't told him he could do better than be a servant all his life." He winked at the leaper, letting him know by the action that he wasn't actually as egotistical on the matter as he was making himself to be. "Good job, Dr. Beckett."

Sam was about to quip a response, when he heard the Doctor's compliment. He blinked a few times before voicing a heartfelt, "Thank you."

Glad looked at her two new friends who only appeared up to this point to joust with words when they weren't explaining things to her or talking to spirits. "So... you two are really friends?"

The Doctor and Sam looked at each other for a long moment, thoughtfulness on each of their faces. "Are we?" the Doctor asked, wondering what the leaper's feelings on the issue were.

Sam's eyebrows rose in consideration of the question, his eyes gentle and mouth in a slight almost grin. "Yeah. I think so. I mean, we might not see eye to eye on things..."

"That's for sure."

"...but I feel that we're definitely on the same page a good deal of the time. If that not a basis for friendship, I don't know what is."

"Mutual respect. Always a good beginning for a friendship."

"Yeah." Seeing from the Doctor's expression that he shared his view of discomfort in the saccharine sweet space they had just visited, Sam turned to Glad. "Now tell me some more about what your life was like back in Camelot."

"Oh, mostly tending sheep, growing food," she told him in a ho-hum tone.

"That's really something I can appreciate. I grew up on a farm."

With the realization that they had something in common, the two began talking about their own perspective of living in a rural community and all that it entailed. There were comparisons of farms, the activities around the day to day life. Quite a few times, the two took to laughing about some common occurrence.

The Doctor had been glad when the leaper had refocused his attention on Glad. It wasn't that he regretted the acknowledgement that their companionship had taken on the mantle of friendship as well. The Time Lord, his long lives notwithstanding, had a limited number of people in his life he could actually count as close friends. He wasn't sure if that's where this was going, but if it was, he wasn't upset about the prospect, even though their current situation required his closest friend to be somewhere, some when in the future. Seeing that his companions were occupied and that his host and Jarman were still engaged in their own discussions, he smiled with a contentment he hadn't felt in a long while before refocusing on his meal, which he relished all the more since the last time he hardly gotten more than a single bite of each dish.

The evening went quite long with the various courses and entertainment. Glad had clapped with joy seeing the acrobats and had been wide eyed seeing the magicians ply their trade. The Doctor, once sated in his enjoyment of the cuisine, had turned his attention again to the girl, pointing out the various wonders of what was to her a strange and marvelous land. Sam had watched quietly, again noting that Jarman continued to impress Thutmose and that the Doctor was treating the new arrival almost the way his father had his sister, Katie. He rejoiced at the first interaction as he pondered the second. He wondered if the Gallifreyan was even aware of his actions.

By the time Pharaoh called an end to the evening, Glad was beginning to show signed of exhaustion. As the banquet participants went their separate ways, Jarman told the Doctor that Pharaoh had asked for him to move closer to his own chambers in case he had a question in the night, the implication being that the young Egyptian was already becoming part of the Pharaoh's administration. Jarman wanted to be certain that Lord Doctor would release him from his service.

The Gallifreyan was all too pleased to allow Jarman to move closer to the Pharaoh's chambers but was concerned that the boy was acting out of obligation rather than his own interests. "So, would this mean that you are now in the employ of Pharaoh? Are you okay with that? Be honest."

"It is the most fantastic thing I could be asked to do. I will be helping our Pharaoh to rule his kingdom. What higher calling could I dare wish for?" The boy's eyes glowed with pride.

The Time Lord couldn't help but grin at Jarman's enthusiastic response. "Good for you!"

The boy smiled and said good night to his friends before they parted ways. A few minutes later, the Doctor, Sam, and Glad reached their suite of rooms. With Jarman's room having been vacated, Glad took it, her tiredness making it easy to convince her it was time to rest. The leaper couldn't help but hear the conversation as the Time Lord assured she was settled for the night. Then, just as the Gallifreyan finished pulling the covers over her form, he leaned down and grazed a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead, wishing her a good night before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

"Didn't take much to convince her," the Doctor commented as he walked into the common area. He slipped into a chair and allowed his legs to stick out in a relaxed position. "The whole evening wore her out. Not to mention she didn't really get much sleep the night before after the banquet at Arthur's castle." He rubbed his own stomach. "Given how much I've eaten in the last forty-eight hours, I wouldn't be surprised if I slip into a carb coma myself." The brightness of his eyes nearly contradicted his own words.

"And how long had you known Glad before she became a companion?" Sam asked.

"Let me think... met her just outside of Arthur's throne room yesterday morning, took her back to retrieve her possessions from Boyne, brought her back to the TARDIS... nine hours give or take an hour? Bit difficult to tell when I wasn't really paying attention to the passage of time."

"Nine hours. Total stranger to traveling companion in nine hours. Does that happen a lot?"

"Well... sort of. I mean, sometimes it takes a bit longer, like with Rose. But most don't happen quite as amicably as with Galadriel. Running for your life tends to make people fast friends. With Glad, there wasn't that type of drama but she felt comfortable and ready to leave and I didn't mind offering it to her."

"I see." Sam took to considering the situation further.

"Is there something you're holding back that I'm not aware of?"

"Don't get me wrong. Glad is a lovely girl but I thought you were traveling with Rose. Why did you take her away from her home to travel with you?"

"I didn't take her away," the Doctor corrected abruptly. "I invited her to see the universe with me. She's the one who said yes. Besides, what's wrong with taking her traveling with me?"

"Nothing, I guess. It just seems a little strange."

The Doctor frowned at his words. "What are you getting at?"

The leaper sighed. "I don't know, but it seems like you have... well... a relationship with her that's more than just a fellow traveler."

The Gallifreyan glared at him. "I thought we already went over this! Bad enough that Sir Hugh had his mind in the gutter concerning her, to say nothing of Jack's little innuendos."

"Wait a minute. I get you're not interested in her sexually. What I mean is, the way you talk to her sounds more familial than anything else. My father used to use the same tone and sentiments when talking with my sister. He'd call her 'honey' and 'sweetheart'. You call Glad 'my dear' and 'dear girl'. That sort of thing."

The alien nodded emphatically when Sam clarified his concern. Hearing the rest, though, gave him pause. He frowned slightly. "I've been calling her what?"

"Dear girl," he answered, repeating the words. "Also 'my dear', 'dear child', other things like that."

Hearing the physicist's answer, the Time Lord's eyes drifted towards Glad's bedroom door, "I used to call Susan that. My dear girl... all the time. Think I drove her mad with the phrase but she never said anything." He took a slow breath. "She reminds me of her, I suppose. Doesn't help that she looks very similar to her."

"Your granddaughter?" the scientist queried. "Are you sure you're not trying to replace her memory? Have another way of dealing with your feelings?"

"I'm not in the habit of picking up passengers simply because they resemble people I used to know, Sam. I invited Glad to come with us because she's brilliant. She just doesn't realize it yet."

"During the short time I've known you I've found you consider a lot of people to be brilliant. With the Sullivans, with Jarman, you have even occasionally given Al and Jack credit... although you seem to have some... issue with both of them. Why would you consider Glad so special? Maybe the fact that she reminds you of Susan is coloring your response to her."

The Doctor gave him a half of a smile. "I really don't give the compliment as freely as you may think and the only real issue that I may have with Albert and Jack is more to do with personality than their abilities. Well... maybe with Albert. If I say that Galadriel is brilliant, it's because she is and it has very little to do with her resembling Susan physically. She has an incredibly inquisitive mind. And such a personality. She would have stagnated in that time period. All that potential lost because she was born in the wrong place at the wrong time. I couldn't let that happen."

"Okay. Let's look at that. What if she was supposed to be there for some purpose? Wouldn't taking her away from then change the timeline?"

"Think about what you've seen of her, Sam," the Doctor instructed. "Can't you see it? She glows... as if Time were just waiting for me to pick her up and bring her to a better life than she would have had in the Middle Ages." He took a breath. "There are some events in time that are fixed, like the assassination of President Kennedy or Magnus Greel coming to power. The rest are fluid. They can be changed as long as you know what you are doing. Besides, who is going to miss a peasant girl in that time period? No one. She's no one important to them. But with me... she could be absolutely magnificent."

Sam considered the Gallifreyan's words before responding, "In my travels, I've found that no one is unimportant. We all have connections that extend out from the person we are; the web of interconnectedness is vast. I know there's a concept of six degrees of separation...and at least that appears to be true on Earth. Don't know if it holds true anywhere else in the universe."

"True but there are some connections that are not as vital as others. You may be aware that we are all connected but you can't see which are vital and which can be broken without harm to the timeline," the Doctor pointed out to him. "I can. I can see the whole of time and space. Everything that was, everything that is, everything that will be, everything that can't. The realm of King Arthur isn't poorer for her being gone from there... and we are richer for her being with us."

Sam grew quiet at that. It gave him something to ponder. He had to agree that watching Glad soak up the knowledge around her was a joyful thing. He hoped the Doctor was right that her being with them wouldn't cause harm to the timeline, but as the Time Lord said, he had limits and would have to trust the alien about that..

The Doctor looked at Sam for a long moment, knowing that his words were giving him much consideration. It was a good thing, in the Time Lord's opinion. While Sam was an open-minded fellow, the Doctor knew that, as a human, the quantum physicist still saw the universe in the confines of limited human knowledge. "So... what about Ptah-Hotep's tomb? I understand that he's been laid to rest," the Gallifreyan said, changing the subject.

"Yeah. We did that a few weeks ago." Sam gave a half grin. "I even had to paint something in it so I'll read it in about 3500 years. Jack said it was a time loop that needed to be closed." He shook his head. "You know, it's really strange. When I was a kid, I loved reading about the ancient Egyptians. Got my hands on everything I could find. It wasn't long after my older self - who's now my younger self - was at the opening of the Ptah-Hotep's tomb when an even younger self read the Ineni Papyrus. If that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have done my doctoral thesis on Ptah-Hotep and I wouldn't have known about any of this. Who'd have thought I wrote those words myself? Time loops are strange."

A brief hum of approval escaped the Time Lord's lips, considering that he viewed Sam as still being just a kid in comparison to himself. "Still... we should make it absolute certain that everything is as it should be when your younger self enters the tomb in 3500 years time. Besides, I want to make sure there aren't any Osirian weapons in that tomb. The one thing we don't want is for my nephew to wake up and take over the Earth without Sekhmet's help."

"Yeah. I'm with you on that one."

The Doctor smiled at his words. "Right then. Tomorrow, we show Glad Thebes. Then we'll come back to the palace, make our goodbyes and off in the TARDIS. Then, a brief trip to the tomb to make sure all is well before we retrieve our next passenger." The Time Lord looked pointedly at him. "But for now, it's time we both get some rest. We've got a busy day tomorrow."

Yawning, Sam couldn't agree more to the suggestion of rest. "Yeah. Good night, Doctor," he said as he got up, heading to his sleeping quarters. Then, just before he went in, he turned back, just then realizing what the enigmatic alien had said. "What? Next passenger? What do you do? Collect people?"


End file.
